Ural Thomas and the Pain

Ural Thomas' designation as "Portland's Pillar of Soul" is apt. His consistently feel-good soul recordings span over half a century, and his similarly enduring series of weekly jam sessions promoted a communal spirit among musicians in his hometown. A halting crooner and a belter, as well as a proficient songwriter with an everyman perspective, Thomas recorded throughout the 1960s, first with the Monterays, then as a solo act with a couple UNI label singles leading to Can You Dig It...Live (1968), his first LP. After a long period away from recording studios, Thomas forged a b...