Timothy Earle “Timmy” Thomas (November 13, 1944 – March 11, 2022) was an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, keyboardist, musician, and record producer from Evansville, Indiana. He is best remembered for his 1972 international hit “Why Can’t We Live Together,” a minimalist anti-war song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and became an enduring soul classic.

Thomas’s music continued to reach new generations decades after its original release, most notably when Canadian rapper Drake sampled “Why Can’t We Live Together” for his 2015 hit “Hotline Bling.”

In 2023, the City of Evansville honored Thomas’s musical career and his connection to the city by naming a portion of East Mulberry Street “Timmy Thomas Way.”

Early Life in Evansville

Timmy Thomas was born in Evansville, Indiana, on November 13, 1944, and grew up as one of twelve children in a musical family. His father was a minister who helped provide Thomas and his siblings with their early musical education.

Thomas attended Lincoln High School, the historic Evansville school that served the city’s African American community during segregation. Lincoln was an important institution in Evansville’s Baptisttown neighborhood and produced numerous prominent graduates.

Music became a major part of Thomas’s life while he was still young. During his senior year of high school, he attended the famed bandleader Stan Kenton’s jazz clinic at Indiana University, where his abilities earned him a scholarship to attend Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.

Early Music Career

Thomas developed his skills as a keyboard player and accompanist before becoming nationally known as a singer.

Early in his professional career, he performed with prominent jazz musicians, including trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. He later worked as a session musician in Memphis, Tennessee.

During the 1960s, Thomas was associated with Goldwax Records and performed as part of Phillip & the Faithfuls, a group featuring singer Phillip Reynolds. Recordings associated with the group included “Love Me,” “What’Cha Gonna Do” and “If You Love Her.”

Thomas eventually relocated to Florida, where the move would lead to the recording that defined his career.

“Why Can’t We Live Together”

Thomas achieved his breakthrough in late 1972 with “Why Can’t We Live Together,” released on Glades Records.

Thomas wrote the song during the Vietnam War after hearing a news report detailing the enormous number of American and Vietnamese deaths caused by the conflict. Rather than write a conventional protest song, Thomas created a simple plea for peace and coexistence.

The recording itself was unusually sparse. Thomas’s voice was accompanied primarily by an organ and rhythm machine, giving the song a distinctive sound that stood apart from much of the heavily produced soul music of the period.

The simplicity worked.

“Why Can’t We Live Together” became a major international success, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and the Top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100. It also became a hit internationally, reaching the Top 20 in several countries, including the United Kingdom.

The record reportedly sold more than two million copies.

Lasting Influence

“Why Can’t We Live Together” developed a life far beyond its original chart run.

The song was recorded or interpreted by numerous artists, including Sade, Santana and Iggy Pop, helping introduce Thomas’s composition to new audiences.

Its message of racial harmony and peace also gave the song significance beyond popular music.

Decades later, the distinctive organ sound from Thomas’s original recording became the foundation for one of the biggest pop songs of the 2010s.

In 2015, Drake sampled Thomas’s recording for “Hotline Bling.” The enormous popularity of Drake’s song introduced Thomas’s music to millions of listeners who had not been alive when “Why Can’t We Live Together” was originally released.

Later Career

Although “Why Can’t We Live Together” remained his signature recording, Thomas continued recording and performing for decades.

Over the course of his career, he released several studio albums and placed numerous singles on the R&B charts. He also worked as a songwriter and producer and collaborated with other musicians.

Another notable Thomas recording, “Dying Inside to Hold You,” developed a particularly strong following internationally.

Thomas also spent part of his later life sharing his musical knowledge with younger generations. He worked as a music teacher at Shadowlawn Elementary School in Miami, combining his career as a professional musician with music education.

Death

Timmy Thomas died on March 11, 2022, at the age of 77.

News of his death received attention in Evansville as well as throughout the music world. Despite having spent much of his professional career outside Indiana, Thomas remained recognized as one of Evansville’s notable contributions to American soul and R&B music.

Timmy Thomas Way

Evansville formally honored Thomas after his death.

On August 28, 2023, the Evansville City Council considered and approved a resolution renaming a portion of East Mulberry Street in his honor.

The section near Cleaves Memorial CME Church became:

Timmy Thomas Way

The designation recognizes Thomas as an Evansville native whose work achieved international influence.

The honor was part of an effort to recognize important figures in Evansville’s African American history. At the same City Council meeting, a portion of South Garvin Street was designated Sondra L. Matthews Way, honoring the founder of the Evansville African American Museum.

The Timmy Thomas Way name remains in use for the section of the former Mulberry Street.

Evansville Legacy

Thomas’s story connects several important parts of Evansville history.

He was raised in the city’s African American community, attended Lincoln High School, and emerged from a school and neighborhood that produced a remarkable number of successful athletes, educators, musicians and community leaders despite the restrictions of segregation.

From Evansville, Thomas went on to perform with major jazz musicians, work in the Memphis recording industry and eventually create a record that reached millions of listeners around the world.

More than fifty years after its release, “Why Can’t We Live Together” remains his defining work. Its continued use by other musicians—including its prominent appearance in Drake’s “Hotline Bling”—has given the song an unusually long cultural life.

For Evansville, Thomas represents one of the city’s most successful figures in soul and R&B music. The naming of Timmy Thomas Way permanently connects that international musical legacy back to the city and community where his career began.

Quick Facts

Full name: Timothy Earle Thomas
Known as: Timmy Thomas
Born: November 13, 1944
Birthplace: Evansville, Indiana
Died: March 11, 2022
Age at death: 77
High school: Lincoln High School, Evansville
Occupations: Singer, songwriter, keyboardist, musician, record producer, music educator
Genres: R&B, soul
Best-known song: “Why Can’t We Live Together”
Major chart achievement: No. 1 Billboard R&B hit
Notable later influence: Sampled by Drake for “Hotline Bling”
Evansville honor: Portion of East Mulberry Street named Timmy Thomas Way in 2023