A Visit with the Soul Queen of New Orleans

For a brief time, singer Irma Thomas, a New Orleans icon, was feared missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Thomas had been at a safe distance from the storm, performing in Austin; but her home and her nightclub, The Lion's Den, were destroyed. Known for 1960s hits such as "Time Is On My Side" (yes, the Rolling Stones covered that one) and "It's Raining," Thomas has continued to perform and record over the years. The storm hasn't changed that.

Thomas' first studio album in six years, After the Rain, was recorded just months after Katrina. She is performing at venues from Portland, Ore., to France in the coming month. She joins Scott Simon in NPR's Studio 4A to talk about her career and sing songs both old and new.