Irma Thomas – Full Time Woman LP (Ltd Light Blue Vinyl) Real Gone Music

“Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas enjoyed a run of national success in the U.S. in the mid-’60s with classics like “Wish Someone Would Care,” “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” along with the original vocal version of “Time Is on My Side” (later a massive hit for the Rolling Stones), recorded for Imperial Records.

Following a short stint at Chess Records, Irma recorded for Canyon before being signed to Atlantic Records by the label’s much renowned executive, Jerry Wexler. A first session in 1971 yielded one single, “Full Time Woman” (produced by noted New Orleans music legend Wardell Quezergue), which failed to chart but was singled out by Wexler in a 2007 interview as one of his all-time favorite recordings.

Undaunted, Atlantic arranged further sessions for Irma in Detroit, Miami and Philadelphia throughout 1972 – yet none of the material was ever issued until a 2014 CD collection. Now, some 50 years after they were originally recorded, Full Time Woman: The Lost Cotillion Album brings all of Irma’s recordings for Atlantic (under its Cotillion imprint) to LP for the first time! Irma puts her own distinctive, ever-soulful stamp on such tunes as the standard “Time After Time,” Bobbie Gentry’s 1969 hit, “Fancy,” and Billy Walker’s country hit, “Tell Me Again,” alongside the funky “She’s Taken My Part,” (the flipside of “Full Time Woman”), and R&B-flavored original material including the highlights “Waiting For Someone,” “Our Love Don’t Come Easy,” and two early ‘70s Philly soul cuts, “No Name” and “Adam And Eve.” All told, 13 of the 15 tracks on Irma Thomas: Full Time Woman—The Lost Cotillion Album make their vinyl debut (on light blue vinyl, to be exact); it goes without saying that this release represents a major addition to the Irma Thomas discography!