A Texas roadhouse blues-rock band, formed in 1974.
After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, as the house band for the club Antone's, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records and later signed with Epic Records.
Their first two albums, released in 1979 and 1980 with Kim Wilson on vocals and harmonica, Jimmie Vaughan on guitar, Keith Ferguson on bass and Mike Buck on drums, initially sold poorly, but are now regarded as successful white blues recordings. The Thunderbirds' blues style mixed Texas blues with the harmonica-laced swamp blues sounds of Slim Harpo and Lazy Lester - both of whom the T-Birds covered.
The band's third album, Butt-Rockin', released in 1981, took the band closer to old rhythm and blues and added additional musicians playing piano and brass.
Although the Fabulous Thunderbirds had become favourites of fellow musicians - opening shows for the likes of the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton - and had been critically well-received, the band's records didn't sell particularly well. Chrysalis dropped the band following the release of T-Bird Rhythm, leaving the band without a contract for 4 years.
While still in limbo, the Fabulous Thunderbirds continued to play concerts across the country. During this time, bassist Ferguson left the band and was replaced by Preston Hubbard.
In 1985, the band finally landed another record contract with Epic/Associated. The single Tuff Enuff was featured in the Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster film Tough Guys, as was the follow-up single Wrap It Up. The band's music was also used in John Cusack's 1987 movie Hot Pursuit.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds' next album, Hot Number, fell off the charts quickly and alienated many of the band's long-time fans due to its slick, pop-oriented sound. The band then embarked on a long series of lineup changes and obscure, yet improved, albums throughout the 1990s.
After the two poorly received follow-ups to Tuff Enuff, Vaughan left the band to play in a duo with brother Stevie Ray Vaughan. Following Stevie Ray's death in the summer of 1990, Jimmie pursued a full-time solo career. The Fabulous Thunderbirds replaced Vaughan with two guitarists, Duke Robillard and Kid Bangham.
In the early 1990s, the Fabulous Thunderbirds were in limbo, and Wilson recorded a pair of solo albums.
In 1994, Wilson reassembled the band to record a ninth album, Roll of the Dice, which was released on Private Music in 1995. High Water followed in 1997, and a live album in 2001.
The current lineup includes original frontman Wilson, guitarist Johnny Moeller, guitarist Kirk Fletcher, bassist Ronnie James and drummer Jay Moeller.