Shardé Thomas

Shardé Thomas (born January 1990, Mississippi, United States) is an American fife player in the vanishing American fife and drum blues tradition. She is the granddaughter of Othar Turner, who founded the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, and cousin to bandmate Andre Turner Evans.[1] She plays a homemade cane fife.

Shardé Thomas
Born1990 (age 30–31)
Mississippi, United States
GenresFife and drum, delta blues
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsFife, piano, keyboard
Years active2003–present

Career

Martin Scorsese featured her grandfather, Othar Turner, in the 2003 PBS mini-series, The Blues, as a link between African rhythms and American blues. This concept was continued on the 2003 album Mississippi to Mali by Corey Harris. The album was dedicated to Turner, who died a week before he was scheduled to record for the album. Thomas, then 12 years old, filled in for the recording sessions.

In 2003, her band was at South by Southwest Music Festival.[2] In 2008, she performed in "The Heritage Project" in New York City,[3] and in 2009, at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[4]

Discography
  • 2003: Goin' Over The Hill – Willy Deville Acoustic Trio
  • 2003: Mississippi To Mali
  • 2010: Hill Country Hoodoo – The Jake Leg Stompers
  • 2010: What Do I Do? (CD Baby)

References
  1. Pareles, Jon (March 1, 2003). "Othar Turner, Mississippi Master of the Fife, Is Dead at 94". The New York Times. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  2. Dean, Katie. "Go On, Say the Unpopular Thing". Wired. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  3. La Rocco, Claudia (May 25, 2008). "Telling Stories in Many Shades of Delta Blue". The New York Times. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  4. MacCash, Doug (April 25, 2009). "Sharde Thomas, Rising Star Fife and Drum at Jazz Fest Blues Tent". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
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