Oct. 17, 2014
CWU Alumna on Tour with Singer-Songwriter Mary Lambert
Heather Thomas, a multitalented percussionist who honed her skills at Central Washington University, recently hit the road again with singer-songwriter Mary Lambert for Heart on my Sleeve, Lambert’s first headlining tour.
On Tuesday, Thomas was behind the drums and providing backup vocals during a live performance of Secrets on Good Morning America. The song is the opener on Lambert’s new album Heart on my Sleeve, released the same day.
In 2011 Thomas earned a degree in percussion performance from CWU, where she studied under Professor Mark Goodenberger. She played in wind ensemble with Larry Gookin, orchestra with Nicholas Caoile, jazz band with Chris Bruya, and vocal jazz with Vijah Singh. Watch her percussion chops here.
“At school I learned how to pick things up as quickly as possible, how to effectively use my practice time, how to rehearse well, and how to be an all-around musician who is an equal part of the music, no matter how small or big the role,” Thomas said on her website.
As drummer and backup vocalist in Mary Lambert's band, Thomas has appeared on several national talk shows and late night shows, including Good Morning America, VH1's Big Morning Buzz, and LIVE with Kelly and Michael. So far the international tour has 27 concerts scheduled.
Heart on My Sleeve, which broke out as number 11 on iTunes, is Lambert's first full-length album. Her single Secrets is getting national radio play. Its music video has more than 4.3 million views on Vevo and its StopWatch video for VH1 will play on MTV throughout November. On their last tour Lambert and her band opened for Gavin Degraw and Matt Nathanson.
The spotlight found Mary Lambert when she collaborated with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on the 2012 single Same Love, which was a Grammy nominee for song of the year. Lambert performed at CWU in January—a week after she played on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and nine days before her lauded performance with Macklemore, Madonna and Queen Latifah at the 56th annual Grammy Awards.
October 17, 2014