In the Beginning Carl Thomas sang around the Chicago-land area, joining groups, singing in the church choir and doing some recordings in comfortable surroundings. Over 4 million records sold, 2 Grammy Nominations, a couple of Soul Train nominations an S.C.L.C. Image award & over 20 yrs later..this is his story. Feeling the need to test himself in unfamiliar waters, Thomas trekked to New York and began singing during open-mike nights at various clubs. Songbook CEO Troy Taylor (best known for discovering Trey Songz) befriended Carl allowing him to move into his 1 bedroom apt with his wife & newborn son in Brooklyn. Troy taught Carl the difference between recording gospel music and recording R&B music. … In the Beginning Carl Thomas sang around the Chicago-land area, joining groups, singing in the church choir and doing some recordings in comfortable surroundings. Over 4 million records sold, 2 Grammy Nominations, a couple of Soul Train nominations an S.C.L.C. Image award & over 20 yrs later..this is his story. Feeling the need to test himself in unfamiliar waters, Thomas trekked to New York and began singing during open-mike nights at various clubs. Songbook CEO Troy Taylor (best known for discovering Trey Songz) befriended Carl allowing him to move into his 1 bedroom apt with his wife & newborn son in Brooklyn. Troy taught Carl the difference between recording gospel music and recording R&B music. “Troy is & will always be my brother, I owe him and Ron Grant (host of open mike night at Chaz & Wilson’s, & Nell’s) so much, They took a chance on a very “green” Carl Thomas and for that I’m eternally grateful”. “I was born and raised in Chicago…But I became a grown Man in Brooklyn.”says Thomas. One day Bad Boy records CEO Sean“Diddy”Combs and Christopher “Biggie ”Wallace caught one of Carl’s open mike performances and signed him to their label in 1997. Immediately Thomas fit in with the Bad Boy records family, first recording only as a featured artist Carl appeared on “The World is filled” feat Biggie, Puff Daddy, & Too Short), “Chicken Heads” feat Lil Cease, and the “Been around remix” feat Puff Daddy & MASE. As a Recording artist- Carl Thomas’ major label debut was certainly Emotional. The buzz caused by the airplay of the not-available-to-retail single “I Wish” – (set to be released in the late summer of 2000)— from the urban R&B singer’s Emotional album was such that the release date was moved up to April 18, 2000. Thomas wrote or co-wrote 11 of the album’s 15 tracks. “I Wish” is the title of the number-one R&B single. The hit song spent six long weeks at number- one on the US R&B chart and also peaked at number twenty on the pop charts, and set the stage for his debut album “Emotional”, On the success of “I Wish”, the album’s other singles,