A folk-rock guitarist, the next featured player was never enough in the mainstream to be widely recognized or wildly successful in terms of albums sold. But from technique, knowledge of music, knowledge of melody, experience and quality of solos, he ranks up with the all-time best:
Richard John Thompson was born April 3, 1949 in the Notting Hill section of London. He is a prolific songwriter and founded the group Fairport Convention in 1967.
Thompson formed his first band, Emil and the Detectives, at William Ellis School in Highgate. Thompson enjoyed rock music, but was also exposed to his father's collection of jazz and traditional Scottish music. These all influenced Thompson's style.
When Richard was 18, he had formed Fairport Convention. It was Thompson's guitar playing that caught the ear of Joe Boyd, who signed the group to his production and management company. When Fairport began, they were essentially a cover band, doing songs by Bob Dylan and other folk artists. So out of necessity, Thompson began writing. When Fairport Convention recorded its second album in 1969, Thompson began emerging as a quality songwriter.
In 1971, Thompson left the group and released his first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, the following year. The album received bad reviews and did not sell. By this time, Thompson and singer Linda Peters, who had helped out on his album, had begun a relationship and in October, 1972, the couple were married.
Linda became Richard's lead singer, and the first Richard and Linda Thompson album, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, was recorded in 1973. The album was better received than its predecessor. The Thompsons recorded Hokey Pokey and Pour Down Like Silver in 1975 before Richard decided to leave the music business. Thompson became influenced by the Sufi community, a branch of Islam and moved to become a part of it.
After a few years, however, the Thompsons moved back to England, and the couple recorded the album First Light. Sunnyvista in 1979 had a harder edge. Chrysalis Records chose not to renew Thompson's contract at this time.
Plenty of people saw the value in Thompson's guitar. Richard and Linda opened for Gerry Rafferty in his 1980 tour, and Richard played on Gerry's Night Owl album. A year later, Boyd signed the Thompsons to his small Hannibal label and Shoot Out the Lights was released.
While Linda was pregnant, Thompson did a brief tour of the U.S. and got close to promoter Nancy Covey. In December, 1981, the Thompsons separated. Meanwhile, Shoot Out the Lights was well-received and sold well in the U.S., and the Thompsons, for professional reasons, toured to support the album. But there was obvious tension and the two went their separate ways.
Thompson recorded the album Hand of Kindness in 1983, featuring a new backing band and more up-tempo tracks. Richard began to tour regularly in the United States, were he was enthusiastically supported. In 1983 and 1984, he toured Europe as well with the Richard Thompson Big Band.
In 1985, Thompson signed with Polygram, married Nancy Covey and moved to California. He recorded Across a Crowded Room, which won praise from critics but did not live up to Polygram's investment. Daring Adventures in 1986 featured American session players and continued the lyrical trend away from personal material and more towards character sketches and narratives. Sales improved, but not enough to convince Polygram to renew the contract.
Thompson's management was able to secure a contract with Capitol, Richard's label from 1988 to 1999. The album Rumor and Sign, featuring the single "I Feel So Good", in 1991 was nominated for a Grammy. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is another top track from the album. However, Hale Milgrim, Thompson's main fan at Capitol, was replaced, and the momentum from Rumor and Sign was halted.
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Richard released the album Mirror Blue in 1994 and took the band on tour. His contract with Capitol was modified so Richard could release and market live albums. These were highly regarded by his fans, the first of which was Live at Crawley, released in 1995. Mock Tudor was Thompson's final release on Capitol in 1999. In 2001, he began recording his own albums and having them marketed and distributed by independent labels.
Thompson released The Old Kit Bag in 2003 and Front Parlour Ballads in 2005. Both did well, leading to the release of Sweet Warrior in 2007. In 2010, Richard released another live album, Dream Attic, consisting entirely of new songs recorded live on tour.
Thompson did quite a bit of solo work in the early 70's, recording for Al Stewart, Matthews Southern Comfort, Sandy Denny and others. Since then, Richard has played for Bonnie Raitt, Crowded House, Loudon Wainwright III and others. Since the early 80's, Thompson has appeared at Fairport Convention's annual Cropredy Festival.
Thompson uses hybrid picking, where he plays bass notes and rhythm with a pick between his first finger and thumb, and adds melody and punctuation by plucking the treble strings with his fingers. He will also use several different guitar tunings, and occasionally plays using a thumb-pick, playing in fingerstyle.
Thompson prefers the sound of single coil pickups, and likes the Fender Stratocaster. He will also play Danny Ferrington guitars, Fender Telecaster and a Danelectro U2. In his early career, RIchard played a Gibson Les Paul with P-90 pickups. Thompson plays Lowden acoustic guitars currently, but has also played the Martin 000-18 and acoustics from Danny Ferrington.
Thompson uses modulation and vibrato type effects, such as the Univibe. He also uses the Roland GK-1 pickup and GL-2 synthesizer.
In 1991, Thompson received the Orville H. Gibson award as the best acoustic guitar player in 1991. He has also earned the Ivor Novello Award for songwriting and received a lifetime achievement award from BBC Radio. In 2011, Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to music. Later that year, Richard received the Mojo Les Paul Award for "Guitar Legend".
Manager Joe Boyd had this to say about Richard:
He's not extremely well known by the public, but he will be now that Inside the Rock Era has ranked him #19. He's a master at the guitar, contributing great, melodic solos with superb technique. Richard Thompson comes in at #19 for the Rock Era*...
#19: Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, solo
Richard John Thompson was born April 3, 1949 in the Notting Hill section of London. He is a prolific songwriter and founded the group Fairport Convention in 1967.
Thompson formed his first band, Emil and the Detectives, at William Ellis School in Highgate. Thompson enjoyed rock music, but was also exposed to his father's collection of jazz and traditional Scottish music. These all influenced Thompson's style.
When Richard was 18, he had formed Fairport Convention. It was Thompson's guitar playing that caught the ear of Joe Boyd, who signed the group to his production and management company. When Fairport began, they were essentially a cover band, doing songs by Bob Dylan and other folk artists. So out of necessity, Thompson began writing. When Fairport Convention recorded its second album in 1969, Thompson began emerging as a quality songwriter.
In 1971, Thompson left the group and released his first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, the following year. The album received bad reviews and did not sell. By this time, Thompson and singer Linda Peters, who had helped out on his album, had begun a relationship and in October, 1972, the couple were married.
Linda became Richard's lead singer, and the first Richard and Linda Thompson album, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, was recorded in 1973. The album was better received than its predecessor. The Thompsons recorded Hokey Pokey and Pour Down Like Silver in 1975 before Richard decided to leave the music business. Thompson became influenced by the Sufi community, a branch of Islam and moved to become a part of it.
After a few years, however, the Thompsons moved back to England, and the couple recorded the album First Light. Sunnyvista in 1979 had a harder edge. Chrysalis Records chose not to renew Thompson's contract at this time.
Plenty of people saw the value in Thompson's guitar. Richard and Linda opened for Gerry Rafferty in his 1980 tour, and Richard played on Gerry's Night Owl album. A year later, Boyd signed the Thompsons to his small Hannibal label and Shoot Out the Lights was released.
While Linda was pregnant, Thompson did a brief tour of the U.S. and got close to promoter Nancy Covey. In December, 1981, the Thompsons separated. Meanwhile, Shoot Out the Lights was well-received and sold well in the U.S., and the Thompsons, for professional reasons, toured to support the album. But there was obvious tension and the two went their separate ways.
Thompson recorded the album Hand of Kindness in 1983, featuring a new backing band and more up-tempo tracks. Richard began to tour regularly in the United States, were he was enthusiastically supported. In 1983 and 1984, he toured Europe as well with the Richard Thompson Big Band.
In 1985, Thompson signed with Polygram, married Nancy Covey and moved to California. He recorded Across a Crowded Room, which won praise from critics but did not live up to Polygram's investment. Daring Adventures in 1986 featured American session players and continued the lyrical trend away from personal material and more towards character sketches and narratives. Sales improved, but not enough to convince Polygram to renew the contract.
Thompson's management was able to secure a contract with Capitol, Richard's label from 1988 to 1999. The album Rumor and Sign, featuring the single "I Feel So Good", in 1991 was nominated for a Grammy. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is another top track from the album. However, Hale Milgrim, Thompson's main fan at Capitol, was replaced, and the momentum from Rumor and Sign was halted.
.jpg)
Thompson released The Old Kit Bag in 2003 and Front Parlour Ballads in 2005. Both did well, leading to the release of Sweet Warrior in 2007. In 2010, Richard released another live album, Dream Attic, consisting entirely of new songs recorded live on tour.
Thompson did quite a bit of solo work in the early 70's, recording for Al Stewart, Matthews Southern Comfort, Sandy Denny and others. Since then, Richard has played for Bonnie Raitt, Crowded House, Loudon Wainwright III and others. Since the early 80's, Thompson has appeared at Fairport Convention's annual Cropredy Festival.
Thompson uses hybrid picking, where he plays bass notes and rhythm with a pick between his first finger and thumb, and adds melody and punctuation by plucking the treble strings with his fingers. He will also use several different guitar tunings, and occasionally plays using a thumb-pick, playing in fingerstyle.
Thompson prefers the sound of single coil pickups, and likes the Fender Stratocaster. He will also play Danny Ferrington guitars, Fender Telecaster and a Danelectro U2. In his early career, RIchard played a Gibson Les Paul with P-90 pickups. Thompson plays Lowden acoustic guitars currently, but has also played the Martin 000-18 and acoustics from Danny Ferrington.
Thompson uses modulation and vibrato type effects, such as the Univibe. He also uses the Roland GK-1 pickup and GL-2 synthesizer.
In 1991, Thompson received the Orville H. Gibson award as the best acoustic guitar player in 1991. He has also earned the Ivor Novello Award for songwriting and received a lifetime achievement award from BBC Radio. In 2011, Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to music. Later that year, Richard received the Mojo Les Paul Award for "Guitar Legend".
Manager Joe Boyd had this to say about Richard:
"He can imitate almost any style, and often does, but is instantly identifiable. In his playing you can hear the evocation of the Scottish piper's drone and the melody of the chanter as well as echoes of Barney Kessell's and James Burton's guitars and Jerry Lee Lewis's piano. But no blues clichés.
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