John Charles Thomas in Song 1931-1941

"The remastering is excellent, it must be reported. The transfer from the 78 rpm disks was accomplished with Nimbus' Ambisonic system ... and the fact that there's so little surface noise evident is remarkable." Online Digital Music Review

 “Open Road” for Audi and Nimbus
The prestigious German car manufacturer, Audi, has selected an unusual piece of music to highlight the light and agile properties of the new A6 Avant estate. The highly stylised TV and Internet advertisement depicts a fantasy world and features a metallic "Audi hummingbird” which is able to nimbly fly among trees, flowers and fauna made from petrol pumps, road signs and traffic cones. The campaign aims to emphasise the advantages of the model's new "ultra-lightweight" construction. The soundtrack for this innovative advert is a 1939 recording of 'Open Road' by Johann Strauss', sung by American baritone John Charles Thomas. This transfer was originally released by Nimbus Records on the Prima Voce Series in 1992 on a CD titled “An American Classic” which featured 22 popular songs recorded by John Charles Thomas between 1931 and 1941.

For decades, John Charles Thomas was the most popular singer in America. A rare singer who could sing 'Boots and Saddles' and Beethoven's In Questa Tomba Oscura with equal aplomb, Thomas had a voice as rich as a cello, the physique of an athlete, and natural charm. He achieved enormous popularity as a matinee idol before achieving success as a concert artist and operatic star. But the stage and radio were only parts of a romantically active life. John Charles Thomas loved auto mobiles, raced hydroplanes, played a mean game of golf, raised chickens and champion hogs, and was famous for his spaghetti sauce.

Thomas had long and successful association with RCA Victor's prestigious Red Seal Records which were reserved for the aristocracy of the musical world (no 'popular' artists were recorded on the label). They were expensive - selling for a staggering $3.00 in 1910 when you could get a first class meal in New York for a dollar. A collection of Red Seal recordings established one as a person of both taste and property.

The national advertising campaign for the Audi A6 Avant Estate launched on October 1st  2011 with a 60-second version of “Hummingbird” screening during the Rugby World Cup match between England v Scotland on ITV1.
 
To view the advert visit: Youtube