Accolades "Grand" for blues singer Irma Thomas

NEW YORK (Billboard) - For songstress Irma Thomas, the last few years have been pretty good -- and a long time coming.

Often overshadowed by contemporaries like Aretha Franklin and Etta James, the 67-year-old Louisiana native has recently seen a resurgence of interest in her work, starting in 2006, when her album "After the Rain" won the Grammy Award for best contemporary blues album. "After the Rain" sold only 11,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, but it was her best seller in a decade.

In June, British music magazine Mojo honored her with a lifetime achievement award, and in July she shared the stage at the Essence festival in New Orleans with Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and Angie Stone.

For Thomas, it's never too late to be recognized, as indicated by "Simply Grand" (August 12, Rounder). The concept was simple -- pair Thomas' voice with numerous pianists, such as longtime collaborators Dr. John, Ellis Marsalis and Henry Butler, and younger artists like Norah Jones and John Medeski.

"They all seemed to have this genuine feeling of playing along with me," Thomas recalls. "I feel honored that that was the respect given to me -- a mutual respect -- and by admitting they were fans of mine, they just wanted to play. They didn't want to be a participant in terms of vocals."

Blues, jazz, soul and traditional R&B makes themselves felt throughout "Simply Grand," but it's Thomas' accomplices who are casting her voice into these different forms. "Each one is different. Isn't that ironic?" she asks with a laugh. "Each singer has their own delivery style, and (the instrumentalists) have their own delivery style, too."

When the players and Thomas got together, material was put to tape quickly. "We didn't spend a lot of time rehearsing," she says. "When you have professional people who understand what to do and who can tell a story, it's easy. It's a love affair."

Rounder hopes to expand that love affair to younger audiences during a year that marks Thomas' 50th anniversary of recording. The label plans to unveil a handful of Web widgets to spread the music, as well as tap into Amazon's targeted e-mail blasts. The label also intends to book Thomas for multiple dates in major markets, a first in that regard.

Thomas' newfound spotlight hasn't changed her humility -- if anything, it's made her even more humble. "My goal was to sing my heart out and let people understand I always enjoy what I do," she says. "To finally be recognized by your peers, and get to sing with people who were your fans, I just wanted to say, 'OK, here I am. And enjoy me if you wish.'"

Reuters/Billboard