Keith Thomas (record producer)

Career

Born and raised in the Atlanta suburb of Conyers, GA., Thomas was singing lead for his father's gospel group by the age of nine. His ability as a keyboard player led him, while still in High School, to recording sessions in Atlanta studios. Here he came to the attention of country superstar Ronnie Milsap.

Thomas moved to Nashville as Ronnie's first staff writer for Milsap's newly formed publishing company, Ronjoy Music. Shortly thereafter, Thomas signed on with Word Records and began a seven-year tenure as their staff writer and producer. During this time, Thomas produced over 16 albums for various artists earning over 20 #1 singles.

Encouraged by this success, Thomas left Word and founded his own publishing and production company, Yellow Elephant Music, and began writing and producing music for BeBe & CeCe Winans. During their four album collaboration, the three sold over 3 million albums and had nine top 30 singles, six of which went top 10 and two of which went #1. As a result of this relationship, BeBe & CeCe earned four Grammy awards, an additional Grammy nomination, and five Dove awards.

1990s

In 1991, Thomas crossed over into the world of mainstream pop when he partnered with longtime friend Amy Grant to garner their first #1, Top 40 hit, "Baby Baby." At the same time, Thomas focused his talents on former Miss America, soon to become international pop and movie star, Vanessa Williams. He wrote and produced five tracks on her Comfort Zone album including the #1 hit, "Save the Best for Last". These two #1 songs with Grant and Williams earned Thomas Grammy nominations for Producer of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.

Responding to the momentum created by this success, Thomas acquired The Bennett House recording complex in Franklin, TN. Twenty minutes from downtown Nashville, The Bennett House not only accommodates Thomas' personal project studio and administrative offices but also offers outside clients a 19th-century recording environment that is unique in the Nashville music scene.

Christening the move into The Bennett House, Thomas turned his attention again to Amy Grant by writing and producing for her House of Love album. This album boasted several hits for Thomas including the songs, "Lucky One," and the title track, "House of Love." Thomas produced the song "The Sweetest Days" for Vanessa Williams as well as records for James Ingram, Peabo Bryson, Deborah Cox, Regina Belle and Wendy Moten. In 1995, Thomas wrote and produced the hit song, "I Could Fall In Love," for Selena. Selena thus became the first artist to place both a Spanish- and an English-language song in the top 10 of the Hot Latin Tracks chart. "I Could Fall in Love" became the fifth best-charting song from that chart in 1995 and remained the highest-charting English-language song for two years, until Celine Dion's 1998 single "My Heart Will Go On" surpassed it when it peaked at number 1. The album, Dreaming Of You, on which "I Could Fall In Love" appears, has now been certified 35x platinum. That year Thomas also produced Williams' Academy Award winning single, "Colors of the Wind," for the multi-platinum selling motion picture soundtrack, Pocahontas.

In 1997, Thomas completed tracks for Grant's next album, Behind The Eyes and Williams' follow up album, Next. He also produced records for Michael Bolton, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, Tamia and Puff Johnson.

In early 1998, Thomas produced several songs for Williams and Jon Secada for the movie, Dance with Me. He also produced the track, "I Do (Cherish You)," for 98°'s multi-platinum album on Universal Records, 98° and Rising. The song was also featured in the Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant romantic comedy, Notting Hill. In addition, Thomas was nominated for a Grammy for Producer of the Year for the 1998 Grammy awards.

In late 1998, Thomas served as the principle Producer and co-Executive Producer for the multi-artist Touched By An Angel album featuring songs inspired by the popular television series. On this project, Thomas worked with Deana Carter, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Uncle Sam and Wynonna.

Early in 1999, Thomas produced the track "Precious Wings" on MJJ artist Tatyana Ali for the movie, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. During that year he also produced tracks for Yolanda Adams, Wild Orchid and Vanessa Williams. Thomas also produced the song, "You're Where I Belong," for Trisha Yearwood for the movie, Stuart Little.

2000s

In early 2000, Thomas wrote and produced the hit song, "I Wanna Be With You," for Mandy Moore. The song was featured in the Columbia Pictures film, Center Stage.

After a three-year hiatus at the turn of the millennium, in 2005 Thomas formed Levosia Entertainment, with an emphasis on developing young undiscovered talent. His initial discovery, Jordan Pruitt, he signed with Hollywood Records, and in conjunction with the release of her debut album, No Ordinary Girl, Jordan opened for numerous Disney sponsored concert tours, including High School Musical: The Concert, The Cheetah Girls and Demo Lovato.

Thomas next became aware of a young YouTube sensation, Savannah Outen. Her three singles released to Radio Disney, "Goodbyes", "If You Only Knew" and "Fighting For My Life", received unprecedented airplay for an independent label artist, twice beating out The Jonas Brothers and The High School Musical for the Dot Com Top 3 #1 position. Under Thomas’s watch, Savannah’s YouTube fan response grew to 75 million YouTube views with 250,000 subscribers.

In 2009 Thomas produced the Grammy Award winning Heather Headley album, Audience of One. In 2012 Thomas produced the Grammy nominated band, Forever Jones’ new album, Musical Revival released April 10, 2012 on EMI Records. He also reconnected with Headley in 2012 to produce a project in conjunction with her lead role in the stage adaptation of The Body Guard, which opened in the UK, November 2012. The Whitney Houston tribute moves from the UK to Broadway in 2014.

2010s

Thomas also produced the title track and three additional songs for The Voice finalist, Chris Mann’s 2012 debut CD, Roads on Universal Republic.

In early 2013 Thomas was asked to participate in the reality series Chasing Nashville on Lifetime, which follows seven aspiring artists from West Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Discography

The album credits below, while comprehensive, may contain omissions and will be updated accordingly as more information becomes available