TRUCKEE, Calif. – Jeremy Thomas, a longtime Truckee resident and passionate musician, released his first full-length solo album, Little Diamonds, on Nov. 13. The album, which blends original acoustic rock, world music, and fingerstyle guitar compositions, marks a significant milestone in Thomas’ musical career, one he has been contemplating for years.  

Since moving to Glenshire with his wife and kids in 2008, Thomas has been an integral part of the local music scene, both as a solo artist and with local bands such as The Johnson Party and Wild Ginger. However, Little Diamonds represents a deeply personal project, one that has taken him over five years to fully commit to.  

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” Thomas said. “I just turned 50, and I figured, ‘I’m not getting any younger.’ It felt like the right time to finally do it.”  

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Although Thomas has been writing songs since high school, it wasn’t until the last five or six years that he began to take his music seriously. “Performing live is a feeling of true expression that is incredibly cathartic for me,” he said. “It transports me to a place where I’m completely present. It requires 100% focus, and when I’m performing, I tap into a part of me that is subconscious.”  

For Thomas, the decision to create Little Diamonds was a turning point. “Once I really committed to this project and decided to do it for me, it opened up a whole new level of creativity,” he said. “I was able to tap into a deeper part of myself, and the songwriting just flowed.”  

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The album features a mix of instrumental and lyrical tracks, each reflecting a different phase of Thomas’ life. Many of the songs are deeply personal, and the album draws heavily from his experiences over the past few years. 

“I want people to connect with the music in their own way,” Thomas said. “I hope they listen deeply, feel something, and find their own meaning in it.”  

The first single, Babalayo, is already available, and fans can listen to it on streaming platforms like Spotify. The album’s opening track, One Last Time, holds special significance for Thomas. Written just days after the passing of his stepfather, the song poured out of him quickly as he walked on a trail with his dog. 

While the core of the album was created by Thomas on acoustic guitar, the project became a collaborative effort once he brought it to life in the studio. Known for his work with The Johnson Party, Thomas asked his bandmates to help him bring the songs to fruition in a way that felt fresh and personal. “I wrote all the songs myself, but the process of recording was very collaborative,” he said. “Being able to share the experience and to get some of my musical partners’ own spin on the songs was really neat and made me more excited about the album.” 

For Thomas, music has always been a central part of his life. “I’ve been a huge consumer of music for as long as I can remember,” he said. “It’s almost like an addiction, and it’s something I can’t escape.” His love for music has driven him to explore a wide range of genres and influences, and *Little Diamonds* reflects that diverse inspiration.  

You can stream the album on all major platforms. For more information about Jeremy Thomas and his music, visit his website at jeremythomasmusic.com, or check out the official music video for Babalayo on YouTube. 

Zoe Meyer is a reporter for the Sierra Sun, a sister publication for Tahoe Daily Tribune. She can be reached at zmeyer@sierrasun.com.