GIVE ME A FUNKIN BREAK
Drummer, producer, singer, and songwriter Emry Thomas has worked with some of the top performing artists of our times. It is perhaps appropriate that the title of his latest CD is Give Me A Funkin Break. After working and recording with artists like Patti LaBelle, Maxayn, Betty Everett, D.J. Rogers, Charles Wright, and the late Johnny”Guitar”Watson. E.T. is looking for his own break. While working with Watson, Emry received two Gold albums, Ain’t That a Bitch and The Real Mother For Ya. It was following these successes that Emry began to be acknowledge for his award winning drumming.
Born July 12, 1949 on the island of Galveston, Texas, E.T. has a classic R&B, Funk and Jazz background. Being brought up on the Gulf Coast, he was exposed to many types of music, Blues, Country & Western, Gospel, Funk and Jazz. He began his own career in 1971 with the group Maxayn. It was while attending North Texas State University and working the Dallas club scene, that E.T. met Andre Lewis a very talented keyboardist, together they worked around Dallas and the surrounding area. Later Lewis went on to work with his classmate and homeboy Buddy Miles.
In 1971 Lewis left the Miles organization to form his own group and asked E.T. to play drums. The group Lewis formed was called Maxayn, named after lead singer Maxayn Lewis, a former Ikett. The group was signed to Capricorn Records based in Macon, Georgia. This association lasted for three years and resulted in the release of three albums, Maxayn, Maxayn/Mindful, and Maxayn/Bail Out For Fun. E.T. simultaneously worked as a staff producer for Super Groove Music, a production company headed by Lewis. It was at this time that he learned the music business and began to perfect his writing skills and production techniques. He also wrote the song “Travelin” for Maxayn”, one of the artists most successful tracks. Super Groove worked with such notables as Patti LaBelle, Betty Everett, D.J. Rogers and Johnny”Guitar”Watson.
It was while working with the late Johnny”Guitar”Watson that E.T. received the most recognition. His first recording sessions with Watson took place in 1974-75 when Watson was signed to Fantasy Records, based in Berkeley, California. Watson’s album resulted in E.T.’s first hit recording, “I Don’t Want To Be A Lone Stranger”, from the album of the same name. In 1976-77 for work done on the albums Ain’t That a Bitch and The Real Mother For Ya, E.T. received two gold albums. He both co-produced and played drums on these two projects. It was during Watson’s signing with Dick James Music of London, England that E.T. became more involved in production. With the success of “Ain’t That a Bitch” and “The Real Mother For Ya” ,E.T. became the founding member of the Watsonian Institute, Watson’s recording and touring group. The Watsonian Institute had two DJM releases: The Watsonian Institute/Masterfunk, and Watsonian Institute/EDP.
The Watsonian Institute was to have been E.T.’s solo project and was supposed to have given him his own identity, unfortunately it was not sufficiently promoted and did not gain the success he had hoped for. The Institute is one of the best recordings of E.T.’s career. Becoming disenchanted with the music business and so called friends, E.T. went back to continue his education. After receiving an AA degree from Los Angeles City College. Studying percussion and graphic communication, he transferred to UCLA where he earned a BA degree in History. E.T.’s plans now include not only playing, writing, and producing music, but also teaching.
E.T. has often said, he left the music business because of some bad experiences, but he will be the first to tell you he never left the music. This is evident in this new CD. Give Me A Funkin Break which has one common denominator DANCE MUSIC. With that being said, E.T. hopes that this CD will move you and answer the question: What happen to E.T. ? The MASTER FUNKER IS BACK !