Real name: Joseph Vankert Thomas

Effective period / Period of releases: 1974

American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and occasional vocalist, born June 19, 1909 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania; died August 3, 1986 in Kansas City, Kansas. Notable performances include: "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Wham", "Bugs Parade", "Posin'" and "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?".

Recorded and played with several artists, including Horace Henderson (alto saxophone, 1929-30), Stuff Smith (tenor saxophone, 1930-31), and most notably with Jimmie Lunceford (tenor saxophone, clarinet and vocals, 1932-47), whose band he took over with Edwin Wilcox after Lunceford's death.

He left the music business in the mid-1950s to work in the family undertaking business. In the 1960s he started to play again occasionally.

Not to be confused with Joe Thomas (6) and Joseph Thomas (7).