Richard Thompson

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Richard Thompson (born 3 April 1949) is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

In September 1967, he made his debut as a member of Fairport Convention.

He continues to write and record new material on a daily basis and often appears live at venues around the world. "A versatile virtuoso guitarist and a keen observational singer-songwriter whose music bribes with insight and sarcastic emotion," music critic Neil McCormick described him as "a versatile virtuoso guitarist and a sharp observational singer-songwriter whose output blazes with intelligence and darkness."

His songwriting has earned him an Ivor Novello Award in 2006 and, in 2006, a lifetime achievement award from BBC Radio.

In the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music, Thompson was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Thompson's compositions have been collected by a number of artists.

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Early life and career (1949 to 1972)

Richard Thompson was born in Ladbroke Crescent, Notting Hill, West London, England. His father, a Scot, was a Scotland Yard detective and an amateur guitar player, while several other family members had played music professionally. Emil and the Detectives, a student at William Ellis School in Highgate, formed his first band, Emil and the Detectives, with classmate Hugh Cornwell, later lead singer and guitarist of The Stranglers, on bass guitar.

Thompson, like so many musicians of his generation, was exposed to and embraced rock and roll music at an early age, and he was also exposed to his father's jazz and traditional Scottish music collection. His father had seen Django Reinhardt perform in Glasgow in the 1930s and played guitar himself. Thompson was later described by his son as "a bad amateur player with three chords, but not C, F, and G."

American producer Joe Boyd said:

Fairport Convention, age 18, Thompson co-founded a folk rock group Fairport Convention. Boyd brought them under his wing and hired them to his Witchseason production and management firm, largely because of Thompson's playing.

Boyd said:

Thompson, who was already known as a great guitar player, began writing songs shortly after. Fairport Convention was obviously out of necessity at first, because it was essentially a cover band.

Thompson was emerging as a songwriter of note by early 1969, when Fairport's second album What We Did on Our Holidays was released and sold. Thompson continued to grow in fame as Fairport's roster and sound improved, as an actor and a songwriter with songs like "Meet on the Ledge."

Fairport's van crashed on the M1 motorway on the way home from a gig at Mothers, a Birmingham club. Fairport's van was on the ground in 1969, between the recording and unveiling of their new album Unhalfbricking. Martin Lamble, 19, and Thompson's girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn were killed. The remainder of the band suffered with injuries of varying degrees. Fairport re-grouped with Dave Mattacks, a new drummer, and Dave Swarbrick, a well-known fiddle player, were invited to join. Thompson and Swarbrick collaborated on "Crazy Man Michael" from the band's seminal 1969 folk-rock album Liege & Lief and "Sloth" from its 1970 follow-up Full House.

Thompson revealed in January 1971 that he was leaving Fairport Convention. His decision was instinctive rather than a calculated career move:

Henry the Human Fly's first solo album was released in April 1972, with Sandy Denny, Pat Donaldson, Sue Draheim, John Kirkpatrick, Barry Draheim, John Kirkpatrick, Barry Draheim, John Kirkpatrick, Barry Draheim, Ashley Hutchings, Andy Roberts, Andy Roberts, and others. The album did poorly and was panned by the media, particularly the influential Melody Maker magazine. Henry has risen to be more popular with time, but at the time, the critics' reaction shocked Thompson and his career.

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