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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZTHOMAS, Joe (alto sax)(b 23 December 1908, Muskogee OK; death date unknown to me) Alto saxist and songwriter, nicknamed 'Cornbread'. He was the brother of Walter 'Foots' Thomas (1907-81), a star in the Cab Calloway band. Joe first went to New York City with Jelly Roll Morton in 1929, worked with Cab's talented sister Blanche Calloway and other bands during the 1930s, then with pianist and bandleader Dave Martin (1907-75) in the early 1940s. He gave up playing to become a vocal coach and a songwriter. |