Timmy Thomas was an R&B singer, songwriter, and keyboardist known for songs including his 1972 hit, “Why Can’t We Live Together.”
- Died: March 11, 2022 (Who else died on March 11?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 77.
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Musical career
Thomas was a member of the band Phillip & the Faithfuls and worked as a session musician in Memphis before beginning his solo career. His debut solo album, 1972’s “Why Can’t We Live Together,” brought him his biggest hit, the title track. Written in response to the Vietnam War and recorded with Thomas on all instruments, “Why Can’t We Live Together” was a No. 1 R&B hit and made it No. 3 on the Hot 100. The song was prominently sampled in Drake’s 2015 hit, “Hotline Bling.” Thomas wouldn’t repeat the major success of his first hit, but later singles with moderate success included “People Are Changin’” and “Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After).”
Thomas on the moment that inspired his hit song
“I’ll never forget, I was sitting in the study, because I was getting ready to teach school, higher education… I was sitting in my study, and I heard Walter Cronkite. I’ll never forget this. He said, ‘35,000 Viet Cong died today, 15,000 Americans.’ I said ‘WHAT?! You mean that many mothers’ children died today? In a war that we can’t come to the table and sit down and talk about this, without so many families losing their loved ones?’ I said, ‘Why can’t we live together?’” —from a 2015 interview for Spin
Tributes to Timmy Thomas
Full obituary: 14 News
