Guthrie Thomas

Born: January 6th, 1952 Died: July 13th, 2016 Guthrie Thomas has written over one thousand published lyrical songs and a hundred or more instrumental compositions. He was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, and raised on a horse ranch in the rodeo days of the genuine American cowboy. He plays seven different styles of music. Thomas' career has spanned 45 years, 60 albums, 3 motion pictures, as well as television. He has recorded and performed with some of the most elite musicians around the world. Ramblin' Jack Elliott discovered Thomas in a Northern California cafe' and bar bringing Thomas to Hollywood where his music career began. Ramblin' Jack Elliott's generous help and guidance in Hollywood Thomas soon gained the attention of many of the highest profile notables and was soon considered one of the most prolific songwriters and exceptional guitarists in the music industry. As Thomas likes to say, "Had it not been for Jack Elliott, I'd probably be selling guitar strings in a lost guitar shop North of Frisco. Though there were many friends who assisted me on my journey in recording, most certainly, Raynold Gideon, Hoyt Axton, Mark Dawson, Arlo Guthrie, John Hartford, as well as, David Foster, David Paich, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Tommy Smothers, Don Novello, Nicolette Larson, Marc Stein, Peter Asher, and a large host of others, still it was Jack that was the one who gave me my start. The famed Screen Writer and Motion Picture Producer, Raynold Gideon, produced Thomas’ first Album, "Sittin' Crooked," after hearing Thomas play a few songs when Thomas and close friend, actor Steve McQueen, visited a Pacific Coast Highway restaurant just North of Malibu Beach Colony in California in 1974. However, Thomas began his hopes of becoming a recording artist in London, England, playing in the subways of London as passengers came to and from their trains in 1968. Thomas' father gave him his first guitar, a Gibson acoustic 12 string. However, Thomas' talents do not end with music and songwriting. Thomas is also a registered pharmacist; a psychologist; an author; an actor; a painter; a music director, and record producer. Thomas also maintains and oversees The Guthrie Thomas Companies, Alnilam Records, The Guthrie Thomas Guitar Pick Company, and is considered by many to be one of the finest singer-songwriter, acoustic guitarists in the world. Thomas lives a reclusive lifestyle and rarely tours but publically shares, "Never forget that fame is just a word that few truly understand, and for most, only a few short moments in their lives if the specter does present itself but, artistic expression well done is something no one ever forgets." "If you want to learn, you must learn to listen and take it all very slow. Life in the fast lane will kill you fast and I have worked with many artists that sadly came to find that this train was the fastest and last train they boarded. This train is as black as midnight with no moon, no conductor, and no engineer. This train travels only one way and is nonstop, and those traveling on this train never knew they boarded this runaway train on its cold steel tracks to purgatory, meaning, don't give up until you are dead, but don't kill yourself trying..."