Evelyn Thomas

Chicago native Evelyn Thomas emerged before the commercial peak of disco with the Top 40 U.K. hit "Weak Spot" (1976), but it was in the post-disco era that she truly etched her name in dance music history. Launched from underground clubs, "High Energy" (1984), produced by long-term studio partner Ian Levine, rejuvenated the singer's career by cracking the U.K. Top Ten and topping the U.S. club chart, and in turn became one of the definitive recordings of the post-disco era. An ex-gospel singer blessed with a bluesy voice, Thomas had a lengthy career beyond her signature hit, as her elastic, soulful vocals fit everything from soul-jazz to torch songs to the pulsating electronic dance music for which she was best known.