Gospel singer, producer and songwriter Isaiah Thomas may be two decades deep in the music industry, but he’s certainly not slowing down.
After being introduced to music at an early age, Thomas became the minister of music at Upper Marlboro’s Cornerstone Peaceful Baptist Church at the age of 19. In 1993, he broke out in the music industry with the single “Pray Everything Will Be Alright,” which became a major radio hit.
Following his debut, Thomas quickly ascended to become a major force in the gospel industry. His 1998 release “It’s Time to Praise the Lord” also became a major hit and spawned many successful singles.
Today, Thomas serves as the director of music and arts for the New Samaritan Baptist Church. As part of his Effective Music Ministry, he travels the world to conduct spiritual workshops for people of all ages, nationalities and genders.
In early November, Thomas released his newest album I Dare You. The single “Ain’t No Harm” quickly rose to No. 30 on the Radio charts following its release. In 2012, he will go on tour with fellow gospel vocalist Fred Hammond.
The AFRO sat down with him to discuss his newest album, his career in music and his upcoming projects.
AFRO: You got your start in music at a young age. How did that happen?
Isaiah Thomas: I started singing in the church choir at about 10 years old. I then dabbled with the piano and started teaching music to the choir. It kind of sprung up from there and I started networking with several churches in the area. Eventually at the age of 19, I got my first job as a minister of music in the church. That’s where it all began.
AFRO: You’ve been in the industry for over two decades. What kind of challenges have you faced throughout your career?
Isaiah Thomas: It’s really been an honor to be in the position that I’ve been in. I really don’t have a testimony of a lot of challenges, of some of my personal experiences. I got married at a young age and had three young boys. You know the story…finances were always an issue and making ends meet was pretty difficult. But a lot of times, my escape was my music and my relief was being able to sit down and write a song. The songs that were created in the times of poverty wound up becoming financial blessings. When you look at that, some may call them challenges, but I call them learning experiences. If I didn’t have those times, I don’t think God would have given me the music that he gave me to bless the world.
AFRO: What can listeners expect with your newest album, I Dare You?
Isaiah Thomas: This album is unique. It has the Isaiah Thomas classic sound and it has something for everybody. We have a strong hip-hop track on there that reaches out to our young folks; we also have the seasoned songs for our experienced Christian worshipers. The song, “I Believe God” on the album was also put on the U.S. Cancer society compilation album which will reach thousands of cancer patients. I know will be tremendously blessed by it.
AFRO: Aside from the album, do you have any other projects?
Isaiah Thomas: Oh boy! . I just cut a live album in Baltimore at Empowerment Temple. We won’t hear a single from that until 2012. I just became transparent on that album and I let it all out. That record will bless so many. Also, I produce a young lady named Tanya Dallas Lewis and we did some great work on her CD. She’s up for two Stellar Awards and we’re so proud of her. Next year, I’ll go on tour with Fred Hammond. I grew up to Fred so performing next to him on stage is like a dream come true.
AFRO: The gospel genre has definitely grown over the years, but what would you like to see more of in the future?
Isaiah Thomas: I did my first album in 1992 and since then, I’ve seen drastic changes. Gospel has really progressed in so many areas. In gospel, you can do any style of music and it’s generally accepted. I would like to see gospel music to continue to progress, but at the same time, I want to make sure that it holds on to its message. Gospel music is the good news of Jesus Christ and that’s the bottom line. As long as the message does not change, I’m cool and I’m happy.
‘I Dare You’ is available now. For more information on Isaiah Thomas, visit: Isaiahdthomas.com.
