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Clay Custer
(George W. Thomas)

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Recorded in New York City during February of 1923 with George W. Thomas appearing as Clay Custer at the piano. -This solo represents the earliest recorded walking bass line.

From popular recorded history one might draw the inaccurate conclusion that the boogie-woogie piano style were an innovation of the 1930's. This of course is entirely incorrect, George Washington Thomas Jr. born in Plum Bayou, Arkansas 1885 would absorb the barrel house piano styles of Texas and became a prominent jazz and blues composer. There was something about that family, his brother Hersal and sister Beulah Thomas (aka Sippie Wallace) were also pianists and performers of exceptional talent.

As the eldest brother George would also be the first to commit the boogie style complete with its trademark walking bass line to disc with this highly influential recording.