Carla Thomas

Daughter and labelmate of Stax novelty hitmaker Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas delivered the first hit for the legendary Memphis record company in "Gee Whiz" (1960), a song she'd written when she was 16. A sweet, doo-wop love song, the ballad was distinguished only by Carla's precociously adept singing -- a warm delivery that would strengthen to power as Thomas and Stax Records matured. Thomas enjoys...