Evelyn Thomas was a singer best known for her 1984 dance club hit, “High Energy.”
- Died: July 21, 2024 (Who else died on July 21?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 70.
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Evelyn Thomas’ legacy
Thomas’ first success came in the U.K., and most of her records saw higher chart performance in Europe than at home in the U.S. Born in Chicago, Thomas released her first single, “Weak Spot,” in 1976, then followed it with singles like “Doomsday” and “My Head’s in the Stars” before releasing her debut album, “I Wanna Make It on My Own,” in 1978.
In was years later, in 1984, that Thomas released her best-known jam, “High Energy.” The upbeat dance song soared to No. 1 in Germany and became a Top Five hit in the U.K. It was the only one of Thomas’ releases to reach the U.S. mainstream, entering the Billboard Hot 100. “High Energy” became a staple of ‘80s dancefloors and an anthem of the gay community as it exemplified the Hi-NRG subgenre of fun and fast-paced dance tracks. Rolling Stone later ranked it among the 200 best dance songs of all time.
Later popular singles by Thomas included her cover of the Supremes song “Reflections,” as well as “Heartless,” “Cold Shoulder,” and “How Many Hearts.”
Notable quote
“I appreciate each and every one of my fans. I really, really do, because without those fans, I couldn’t have made it. I really couldn’t have made it at all. The fans are the ones that kept me alive and kept me going.” — from a 2009 interview for Soulmusic.com
Tributes to Evelyn Thomas
Full obituary: BBC
