Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (1917–2001) was a highly influential American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul, and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ, and comic entertainer who embodied the spirit of Memphis music. Beginning his career in the 1930s as a tap dancer, vaudeville performer, and master of ceremonies on Beale Street, he later became a pioneering disc jockey at WDIA, where he was notable for championing R&B and being the first Black DJ to play Elvis Presley records. Thomas achieved recording success initially with Sun Records in 1953 with the label's first national hit, "Bear Cat," before becoming a foundational artist and mentor at Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Often performing in flamboyant outfits and eventually billing himself as "The World's Oldest Teenager," he is best remembered for his iconic novelty dance records, including the top-charting hits "Walking the Dog," "Do the Funky Chicken," and "(Do the) Push and Pull." A patriarch of a musical family that included his hit-making daughter Carla Thomas, he remained active in radio, film, and live performance well into his eighties, ultimately earning a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, and lasting tributes such as the renaming of a Memphis street in his honor.
About Rufus Thomas
Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (1917–2001) was a highly influential American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul, and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ, and comic entertainer who embodied the spirit of Memphis music. Beginning his career in the 1930s as a tap dancer, vaudeville performer, and master of ceremonies on Beale Street, he later became a pioneering disc jockey at WDIA, where he was notable for championing R&B and being the first Black DJ to play Elvis Presley records. Thomas achieved recording success initially with Sun Records in 1953 with the label's first national hit, "Bear Cat," before becoming a foundational artist and mentor at Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Often performing in flamboyant outfits and eventually billing himself as "The World's Oldest Teenager," he is best remembered for his iconic novelty dance records, including the top-charting hits "Walking the Dog," "Do the Funky Chicken," and "(Do the) Push and Pull." A patriarch of a musical family that included his hit-making daughter Carla Thomas, he remained active in radio, film, and live performance well into his eighties, ultimately earning a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, and lasting tributes such as the renaming of a Memphis street in his honor.