Theodis Ealey

Theodis Ealey was born in 1947 in Natchez, Mississippi into a musical family. He first picked up an instrument when his older brother Y Z Ealey first taught him how to play at the age of 4. Ten years later, Theodis on bass was playing at his first gig with brothers Y Z and Melwin Ealey in a group called 'Y Z Ealey and the Merrymakers'. This brotherly trio made their debut in their hometown of Natchez at a local nightclub called Horseshoe Circle. One year later, Theodis traded his bass for a guitar and began performing with another Natchez group, 'Eugene Butler & the Rocking Royals'.

Before his signing with Atlanta's Ichiban Records in 1991, Ealey's recording career consisted of scattered 45s. His first recording was a holiday tune called "A Christmas Wish" on Banshee Records. Ealey later found out the word Banshee refers to a figure related to occult mythology. "Isn't that ironic? I did a Christmas song for a label called Banshee Records!" Years later Ealey backed Little Richard's sax player Bill Hemmins and worked with producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell for Chelan Records. The 45 was titled "Deepest Sympathy/Peace Of Mind is Hard To Find". Bill Parker recorded Ealey for his Optune label for the single "I Don't Wannna Talk About It/Was It Me?"

The first full-length came in 1991, "Headed Back To Hurtsville", which was followed by three more LPs for Ichiban before Ealey started his label IFGAM Records- an acronym meaning "I Feel Good About Myself". The acclaimed but commercially-ignored "It's A Real Good Thang" dropped in 2002.  Things changed drastically for Ealey in 2004 when a single called "Stand Up In It" began picking up steam in the Deep South. Despite its risqué subject matter, the single became a runaway smash, reaching #68 on Billboard's Hot R & B/Hip Hop Tracks (#1 on the sale chart) and the resulting album managed #54 on the R & B Albums chart- a rare feat for a Southern Bluesman. A rash of answer songs and copies followed throughout the South as the cut still remains a classic. Ealey's credits also include work in the NBC Movie of the Week "A Kiss To Die For," which starred Mimi Rogers and Tim Matheson. Ealey appeared in a nightclub scene that featured two of his songs “Headed Back To Hurtsville” and “Lil’ Brown Eyes”.  Further instrumental credits include the Emmy-winning HBO special "Miss Evers' Boys”, where Lawrence Fishburne mimicked Ealey's guitar playing. Ealey & his band also make a brief cameo in the movie. The Standup In It Man also had a role in the major motion picture "The Fighting Temptations," which appeared in commercials for Rooms To Go and the Cartoon Network and did some bona fide acting in a stage play called "Spunk".

He followed up "Stand Up In It" with lesser hits like "Move With The Motion", "Let Me Put The Head In It" and "Francine" but is now preparing to release his follow-up LP, "I'm The Man You Need", in November 2006.

(Theodis Ealey at 19th Annual Poconos Blues Festival 2010)