The guy singing is not Elvin Bishop, he is Mickey Thomas, Elvins back up singer. Mickey went on to singing for Jefferson Starship

No filters, no auto-tune, real instruments, real singing and just great music back then

Elvin Bishop is the guitarist 🎸, he didn't think his voice was suited for the song so he had his backup singer Mickey Thomas sing it. Elvin is from CA. Mickey is from Ga.

Upon seeing the comments for this video I learned that the Lead Singer was Not Elvin Bishop he was The Guitarist! It was Mickey Thomas, I gotta look him up!

Mickey Thomas is the singer here. Elvin Bishop is the guitar player and founder of this group. Thomas is a backup singer whom Elvin thought would be a better choice for vocals on this particular song! 🥰✌

Dude, if you want to hear Mickey Thomas really let it rip vocally, check out Jane by Jefferson Starship. One of the greatest rock and roll singing performances.

Mickey Thomas grew up in Georgia and started his music, like many people, by forming bands locally with friends. He later played in a Gospel group out in San Francisco and met Elvin Bishop . Elvin was a friend of Gideon Daniels, leader of the gospel group. This explains the soulful/gospel influence put into this performance and makes it gold. Also, Mickey Thomas is gifted beyond belief. Love it! Thanks for sharing.

Mickey Thomas was originally from Cairo, Georgia and started by playing in garage bands in South Georgia.

That wonderful woman singing harmony is Reni Slais Simon. I was 6 when this song came out. I'm sure I heard it on the radio.

Elvin Bishop, I believe wrote this song but that is Mickey Thomas doing the singing. Elvin is playing the guitar. The "Midnight Special" was one of many great variety shows we had back in the day. They would book many singers and groups to appear and sing a couple tunes. Usually it was their latest single {song release}.

Re: Mickey Thomas lead vocal was taught his trade by Georgia gospel singer GIDEON DANIELS from GIDEON & POWER- group. He sang with Gideon for years and learned, Gideon introduced Mickey to Elvin Bishop and finaly joined the ELVIN BISHOP band 1973 all around vocals tenor. The rest is history. I was thirteen years old in high school in Arizona when this song made it to number three top hits. Mickey sings with soul!

Elvin is 80 now and still active. In his era of the 60s and 70s in particular he was quite big and teamed up with many other big names of the era. Great career.

Hey Man. The lead singer in this group is Mickey Thomas. He went on to sing lead for the Jefferson Starship. They had a song called "Jane" that I think you will like. Peace.

A truly soulful rendition of this song. This is some seriously amazing live music.

I'm 72 now and we loved the "blue-eyed soul" singerss Righteous Brothers and so many more. We all loved Ray Charles and so many black soul giants. It was a compliment when white musicians had these black blues and soul idols whether from home and the whole United Kingdom. van Morrison, Ireland, Tom Jones, Wales the list goes on!❤ Great reaction!

Just a backup singer who got a chance to shine!!!

Добрый день! Певец моей молодости! Обожаю такую музыку,такое исполнение,! Для меня ,это лёгкость моей Душе! Благодарю!

Elvin Bishop went to Chicago for school and ended up playing the blues. He played with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He played with one of the greatest white boy blues players by the name of Mike Bloomfield. Elvin was welcome in all of the Chicago blues clubs. He was there during the late sixties and early seventies. He later went out on his own. Mickey Thomas the singer on this song has a great voice and later sang for Jefferson Starship.

The seventies were a great time for music.

🦋Opening up your world view on a KZfaq channel is such a wonderful thing to do because you’re not only opening it up for yourself you’re showing others that it’s worthwhile opening it up. And I think that it shows a lot of younger people how a lot of us older folks were connected back down through the music.

I was in high school, class of 1976, our (US) Bicentennial. I liked your paradigm shift comments, that is what these reactions are all about. Thank you for listening to my era of music and appreciating it.

I love how this young man is really interested in the artists rather than just reacting to the music. Other reactors seem to just want the ‘likes’. Thank you for your seemingly real reaction to the music our generation grew up with.

The guy singing is Mickey Thomas. Elvin Bishop is the guitarist who wrote the song.

They said exactly the same thing about Elvis Presley when they first started hearing his records on the radio. Everybody was convinced it was a black singer if they didn't already know who he was. This was on the radio all the time when I was in junior high and in fact I went out and bought the single.

I think that the ability to enjoy different types of music in art is what keeps us evolving. I grew up north of Detroit Michigan. There was so much great music came out of that area and I am thankful. I grew up listening to Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones....this song was popular when I was in high school. Brings back lots of memories.

Mickey Thomas has an incredible 4 octave range in his voice

I was at the forum in Los Angeles Ca mid 70's when I saw Elvin Bishop w Mickie Thomas open for ZZ Top. It was my second concert, Peter Frampton being my first. Great time to be alive!

Her voice is beautiful too

elvin wrote the song but had mickey singing it elvin was guitar player with badge on his jacket

Elvin is one of the best Blues Guitarists EVER. I just saw him live last month at The Coach House

Elvin bishop was the guitarists name his group. Lead singer was mickey Thomas who later joined jefferson starship

Elvin Bishop is the guitarist. Mickey Thomas is the singer, and one of the very best! 🔥

Im in my sixties and what you experienced is relatable. Im white and remember being floored at seeing and hearing Motown artists for the first time. Artists with crazy good vocals being introduced nation/world wide. All this at a time of major competition in the music industry. The kind of talent in the music I grew up with on the radio and TV was taken for granted. That caliber of vocal/musician artists were abundant in my time. There are great vocalist today....but not as many as the 60's 70,s 80,s 90,s. Great reaction!

Tons of soul in this song!!! Incredible, live, performance!!! Excellent reaction.

You’re absolutely not being prejudiced, I have found over the years that some of the white guys who have based their early careers on blues, really take on the emotion as well. He has an excellent voice but it’s the emotion that makes it even more powerful. When this song first came out I was 19 and loved it immediately. Have a listen to Doug Parkinson singing Dear prudence. Omg, what a voice.

MICKEY THOMAS, is the singer. HE was all that that song was about. Gorgeous song.

Mickey Thomas is singing lead, and he is a Georgia boy, so there are DEEP Southern roots. Thomas is only 73 years old.

Thats Mickey Thomas singing. Elvin Bishop is the guitarist. Listen to Mickey sing "Jane" when he was with Jefferson Starship🎶🎸🎶

Soul is soul as they say

That’s Elvin on guitar! And DO check out the Paul Butterfield Blues Band- Paul was a blues harmonica and singing phenom!

I was 12 years old and watching it on tv with my sister ! I just found your channel and I am loving your take on different genres☮💜

great song

The dude in the jumpsuit CRUSHING the vocals actually isn't Elvin Bishop. It's Mickey Thomas...and it is a spectacular performance...

By now you know the singer is Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship Fame, Bishop is the guitarist

We older folks listened to THE TOP 40 on the radio and TV. They played EVERYBODY. Everyone knew all of the musicians of the day.

Charlie Daniels dropped his name in the song "The South's Gonna Do It Again" released in 1974... The verse is (Elvin Bishop sitten' on a bale of hay, he ain't good lookin' but he sure can play.) The song is about southern rock and roll, so to hear Elvin was born in California is really surprising. Charlie must have been a fan of Elvin's to include him in a song about southern musicians. You should react to that song and the live performance of The Devil Went Down to Georgia if you haven't already..

Love his live version of Travlin Shoes . Back in the 70's this was a really great band to see live,must of seen them 12 times. A lot of fun, good memories.

Huge World!

So happy to see you do this one! I saw this band do this live in '76 in Tulsa,Oklahoma,where Elvin was living at the time.I was 20 years old and really loved that concert.Elvin wrote a great song with this one,and as you now know,Mickey Thomas was a backing singer in this band,but Elvin wanted Mickey to sing it,which was a great choice.If you would like another great band to listen to with a soulful singer who plays bass,and a killer guitarist who wrote so many great songs,then give the Robin Trower band a go.Try listening to Bridge Of Sighs,Daydream or Too Rolling Stoned,but do it from either a '70's or early '80's live concert.Robin's style on guitar was compared to Jimi Hendrix,but it is different for sure,and James Dewar's singing was great,as was Bill Lordan's drumming,who came from Sly Stone's band who replaced Reg Isidore on drums in late '74.I think you might like this band. Peace brother! You are not a racist,just being honest and that is great!

& the boy STILL got some pipes on him ❤❤❤

Tight!

Glad I'm not the only one that respect that guitar solo oh my gosh!!! He said my boy pluckin 😂😂😂😂

Elvin Bishop was the name of the lead guitarists band and Mickey Thomas was in the band singing at that time. He sand for Jefferson Starship too

Elvin is the guitarist and lead singer. Mickey is a back up singer but damn what pipes he had

Dude, that's not Elvin singing, he did not sing (on recordings), he's a master guitarist and songwriter. The vocalist is Mickey Thomas, probably more famous for his later stint with Jefferson Starship. Elvin Richard Bishop (born October 21, 1942) is an American blues and rock music singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter. An original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of that group in 2015 and the Blues Hall of Fame in his own right in 2016. Bishop feels that the limitations of his voice have helped his songwriting. Elvin's family moved to Tulsa when he was 10. There he attended Will Rogers High School, winning a full scholarship to the University of Chicago as a National Merit Scholar.

Elvin played rhythm guitar behind Micheal Bloomfield in The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Try 'Born in Chicago' and 'Got a Mind to Give up Living".

The Elvin Bishop Band is from my hometown San Francisco 🌁. Elvin Bishop is the guitarist and main writer. Usually, a band with a name of a person is a lead singer such as The Steve Miller Band (another San Francisco band). But Elvin Bishop, Carlos Santana, late Ronnie Montrose, RIP (another Bay Area musician) are lead guitarists. The lead singer is Mickey Thomas. He was recruited for Jefferson Starship. By that time the late Marty Balin, RIP, left. JS eventually changed its name to Starship. The band still exists but the only constant member is Mickey Thomas. All the other members retired or died. Strongly 💪 suggested video 📹: Jefferson Starship performs Jane live on the TV 📺 show Saturdays.

Great reaction!!! Thanks!

Saw these cats perform this in 1975 Palm Beach JC...

This is why I love good reaction channels my man.

Dude... "back in the day" if an artist couldn't do the same or better live... they didn't last. SIMPLE! Auto tune was not an option. A little insight as to why some of us older folk cling to our music... I think we were very lucky to be alive then...

This song was a special song for my husband and I. It was "our" song and he'd sing it to me because he knew I loved the song. And I was crazy about Micky Thomas' voice. I too, was surprised to learn he was a white man. I could only guess as to how he learned to sing like that. I loved it then. I love it now. I'm glad you enjoyed his soulfulness. It was mighty special back in the 80's. Great review. But you calling him Elvin Bishop was making me nuts. Lol. 11:14

The guitar soloist is Elvin Bishop…….cheers

A classic.

One of the best sing-a-long songs ever💯❤️

This has Elvin playing the guitar left handed. WOW

hey im 68 yrs old white, not that it matters, and black and white music from so many sources is the soundtrack to my entire life. the stuff i know is from the 60's 70's 80's. Gladys Night, Stevie Wonder, Dianna Ross, the Bee Gee's, the Who, Jethro Tull, etc. they were all super talents and made it look easy.

EXCELLENT performance by Mickey and Elvin. ❤

That's Elvin on guitar. Mickey Thomas sang it for him. Listen to Jefferson Starship "Jane" to hear another great one.

Lead singer Mickey Thomas was born and raised in Cairo, Georgia so…

Haha… yeah… I’ll say it…I did believe, for some time, that Elvin Bishop was a Black man not only by his incredible soulful voice and tone..but by his name as well. It truly does open our eyes to the influence that WHERE you were raised and the impact it has on who an individual BECOMES. I truly love the melting pot of the south…Blues and Soul runs STRONG and DEEP in both Black and White musicians. It’s a beautiful thing ♥♥♥

Elvin Bishop is the lead guitarist, the singer with the soulful chops is Mickey Thomas who I believe is from S Carolina (my apologies if I’m wrong) and also sang lead for the Jefferson Starship (after the departure of Marty Balin). Mickey’s talent and vocals made that song a hit in the 70s which sits at the top of my list of favorites.

tThe lead vocalist is Mickey Thomas, he hailed from Georgia and was trained by a gospel musician named Gideon Daniels. So that influence is what you are hearing. So your ears are right.

Blues was key to so much music in the Rock Era. Even groups as the Beatles gave credit to Blues artist that influenced them and they influenced music from them onward. The 70s especially went bigtime bluesy Rock that we call Classic Rock with so many other varieties though that decade ending with the Disco era. The 80s again Changed and Big Hair bands and Power Ballads defined it with heavy on the reverb sounds. Still Blues played a key roll for singers and musicians and color did not define one with many groups both black and white artist in them.

You mentioned Charlie Daniels, in one of his songs there's a line that goes "Elvin Bishop sittin on a bale of hay, he ain't good lookin but he sure can play." 😂

What people are failing to recognize Elvis helped bring down the walls on music segregation then Vietnam came along which blended all kinds of music all different kinds of people forced into the war and then the backlash drugs love ins the music from that time went wild

I grew up listening to Motown . The Beatles , Elvis and Frank Sinatra. I was blessed because I was born in an era where ppl listened to different music genres no big deal . These days so many ppl are hung up on genres when at the end of the day good music is good music no matter the genre . You're fine, you don't come off as being biased at all , your musical world is opening up for you & that's a great thing. Enjoy your reactions 👍👍🔥

As others have mentioned, "Jane" is a great one from Jefferson Starship. "Find Your Way Back" is another classic from them.

Mikey Thomas is the singer Elvin is the guitarist Mickie went on to Jefferson starship, Song Jane. Give it a listen

🦋Mid 70s

There is another live version of this from Don Kirshners Rock Concert.

Isn't that Micky Thomas? Dude is incredible. He sang with Jefferson Starship, if I am not mistaken. I was in High School bud.

The singer was the backup singer for the band. Elvin who wrote the song didn’t feel he had the chops vocally so he ask his backup singer to perform the song. Nicky Thomas went on to major popularity being lead singer in the Jefferson Starship band.

I’m with you. Would have thought same thing! White dude can sang!!!

Mickey Thomas born out of the church choir...soulful...

Say what feel. That's what this is about. I enjoy ya.

Elvin Bishop is also the singer and guitarist from WILD CHERRY (Play that funky music----White boy)

I think you worry a bit too much, but if you didn't worry about it at all there would be something wrong with you! I love your channel and you have mellowed out quite a bit since the beginning when I thought you came across as a little gruff about things, now you seem to care about how you say things and how your words might affect others! It's been a pure pleasure watching you grow as a person, you are a man any mother would be proud of! Thank you for letting me join in whenever I want to!

Elvin is the guitarist It’s his band He allowed Mickey to sing this track Normally Mickey was part of the back up singers to Elvin

How do you know who Jake the Snake is but never heard this? lol. Elvin is the guitar player. That line in the 1975 Charlie Daniels song goes... Elvin Bishop sittin' on a bale of hay He ain't good lookin', but he sure can play. 😀I've loved this song since I was 5 years old when it came out!

Micky Thomas is the singer. It was my Junior year in high school. On the radio on my way to school!

When this was a huge hit, everyone (including the radio stations) thought it was actually Elvin Bishop singing.... the Radio DJ's should have made it known to the music listeners that the singer was actually Mickey Thomas, even though it's released as 'Elvin Bishop'.... unless of course the DJ's themselves were fooled too.

Soul heart and soul

Yes, really good !!

Originally, Elvin was trying to lay down the vocals but it wasn't right. Mickey said, give me a try at it. And boom, a top hit across genres.

This is Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship) the singer for Elvin Bishop Group, that's Elvin playing the guitar

🦋 it’s very interesting because what I’ve come to realize is you live through parts of your life but when situations come along that take you back and lay some understanding and more appreciation on what you particularly lived through is pretty awesome! We should be doing that for people more often. Maybe that would help a lot of people not to feel like they were lost or forgotten along the way bring them back into this life with music.

Mickey Thomas!

I get it, it’s your point of reference. 😊

incredible lyrics and perhaps one of the sexiest songs for teenagers to explore with as they go after the love they need.