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 a deserved cult following among R&B insiders, but despite a star turn with Otis Redding on "Tramp" (1967) she never achieved a lasting success. The Rhino collection is terrific -- from her 1966 trademark hit "B-A-B-Y" to even funkier funk. Hidden Gems proves that even her Stax outtakes could rival a lesser singer's chart-toppers. Love Means Carla Thomas/Memphis Queen presents two of her classic mid-career albums: vintage soul. (PAUL EVANS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide