Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas may be one of the most ripped-off artists of all time, thanks to the Stones' heartless swiping of her signature song, "Time Is on My Side." The rancor sits to this day in a woman hailed as the Soul Queen of New Orleans. In the early '60s, Thomas and local genius Allen Toussaint produced a catalog of timeless ballads and Soul hits that boasted the double whammy of Toussaint's expert songcraft and Thomas' singing. Her voice could express such ache and emotion that listening was as painful as it was cathartic. Her songs roll along at the leisurely pace of life in a hot, boozy city, with Toussaint's flourishing piano supporting Thomas' radiant delivery and R&B-flavored backing vocals. Thomas continues to record, trying her hand at Gospel, Soul and more. This is romantic, yearning music with the pulse of New Orleans running through it.