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Richard Thompson
On Tour639,479 plays (47,292 listeners)
folk, singer-songwriter, folk rock, folk-rock, guitar… see all
Richard Thompson is a gifted guitarist and songwriter whose critical acclaim and cult following has often threatened but never managed to cross over into mainstream appeal.
In 1967 as a precocious 17 year old he was a founder member of Fairport Convention. Now legendary as pioneers of folk rock they were then captivated by the sounds of the emerging singer-songwriters of the American east and west coasts. Like their peers the Byrds , Buffalo Springfield and Jefferson Airplane they were blessed with several considerable individual talents, and produced music that, at least initially was eclectic, as well as exploratory. Their move to folk was gradual; original singer Judy Dyble was replaced on their second LP “What we did on our Holidays” by Sandy Denny, an experienced folk singer and excellent composer in her own right, with whom Richard continued to collaborate after her departure from the group. It was also cemented by contributions by fiddle virtuoso Dave Swarbrick , initially as sessioneer, on their third, Unhalfbricking. That LP has arguably their first two bona fide masterpieces. One is their version of the Sandy Denny song, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, popularized by Judy Collins , but characterised on their version by a perfect balance between Denny’s vocals and the exquisite support of the group as a whole, and Thompson in particular. The other is A Sailor’s Life, the first to demonstrate the potential power of folk rock, the song exploding in an improvised and sophisticated instrumental coda that reaches beyond the words through the impassioned interplay of the whole band, led by the virtuosity of Thompson and Swarbrick in particular.
In 1967 as a precocious 17 year old he was a founder member of Fairport Convention. Now legendary as pioneers of folk rock they were then captivated by the sounds of the emerging singer-songwriters of the American east and west coasts. Like their peers the Byrds , Buffalo Springfield and Jefferson Airplane they were blessed with several considerable individual talents, and produced music that, at least initially was eclectic, as well as exploratory. Their move to folk was gradual; original singer Judy Dyble was replaced on their second LP “What we did on our Holidays” by Sandy Denny, an experienced folk singer and excellent composer in her own right, with whom Richard continued to collaborate after her departure from the group. It was also cemented by contributions by fiddle virtuoso Dave Swarbrick , initially as sessioneer, on their third, Unhalfbricking. That LP has arguably their first two bona fide masterpieces. One is their version of the Sandy Denny song, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, popularized by Judy Collins , but characterised on their version by a perfect balance between Denny’s vocals and the exquisite support of the group as a whole, and Thompson in particular. The other is A Sailor’s Life, the first to demonstrate the potential power of folk rock, the song exploding in an improvised and sophisticated instrumental coda that reaches beyond the words through the impassioned interplay of the whole band, led by the virtuosity of Thompson and Swarbrick in particular.
Videos
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Richard Thompson - Sunset Song
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Richard Thompson A-11
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Richard Thompson - Did She Jump Or was She Pushed
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Richard Thompson - I Ride in Your Slipstream
Top Albums
Top Tracks
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1952 Vincent Black Lightning
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Beeswing
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I Feel So Good
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Crawl Back (Under My Stone)
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Turning of the Tide
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I Misunderstood
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Sibella
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Keep Your Distance
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Shoutbox
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Quorocker wrote:
And a funny bugger as well!!
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Judas_Iscariot wrote:
Him and Robin Williamson.
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oldfolker2 wrote:
Saying Richard Thompson is a gifted guitarist and songwriter is like saying Torvill and Dean could skate a bit.His standard of playing is pretty much without peer in popular music circles and probably one of Britains most accomplished and prolific songwriters
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Tsauro wrote:
I forgot how much I love this dude's tunes.. Time to Crawl Back Under My Stone!
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kfa444 wrote:
A National Treasure....the diversity of his music over the years has been breath-taking...one of the most innovative musicians still alive.
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FluffySpider wrote:
My dad is addicted and I can't help but admire. Amazing guitar playing and beautiful, memorable songs.
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Argaalofthemyst wrote:
Richard Thompson is an absolute genius. I first heard him when I was about seven or eight years old and I've been in love with his music ever since.
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olverk wrote:
this story gives me chills....i love love love it.
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shivvyrox wrote:
Beeswing makes me what to cry every time i listen, but it's Black Litening that really gets me going i don't why, i just think its amazing and the lyrics are beutiful, the same can be said for beeswing too. I've seen him live quite a few times at cropredy his just blows you away the sets are always brilliant
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samhayler wrote:
That really is a wonderful story. I may nick some ideas from it for a song.
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mrJayT wrote:
A dream account is the best use of these shoutboxes I have seen so far.
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Reductorsonico wrote:
Six years ago I had a dream with RT. Really weirdo. When I woke up, I wrote the experience, now I want to share with you. I was in a store with some other and unknown people. The grocery store was old and certainly was a mess. Suddenly entered Richard Thompson to buy something I did know it. I was amazed, then I began to talk with him (in English!). He was wearing a long leather coat, cap and corduroy trousers (exactly like in a recent Mojo issue). He told me that he was living in Mexico City long ago, but due to the poor sales of his most recent albums —and he showed me a cd that I didn´t know it called Christmas— he was planning return to England the next day. I told him that I wanted to talk with him and make an interview and I told him that I was very ashamed that in this country nobody know about his musical greatness. He told me that he was very busy that moment, but the interview could it be possible at night, during his rehearsal. I said OK, but like a special favor I asked him if he would play something for us, but there was not any guitar in the place. Then I took a brush and I told him: Play on this. Holding the brushstick like a guitar neck, I showed him that he could play that strange instrument. The sound of the brush was like an acoustic guitar. Richard said to me that it was impossible to do that. Don’t be afraid, I said. I am going to tune for you. Then I took a scissors and cut here and there to get a better sound. Suddenly we were at his home. It has a very old and dirty appearance, the walls were green and there were little bookcases with not books on them. He asked me if I wanted to listen any song in particular. And I said Yes, but I’ve forgotten the name of the song. Only I remembered that the letter “I” was the first. He took a notebook and was searching something. He told me that in that notebooks were all the songs that he’s sung in concert or written, but that song was not there. I said that that song was from the early years, I’ve got it in an old LP. You are not the composer, it´s from Hal David (!?). I replied. He asked me if I know the lyric. Sure that I know it! I began to recite and he, with a Fender Stratocaster in his hands, began to play it. Then a big sound came from the street and I woke up with a smile and a unknown song in my mind. Greetings from Mexico City
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TheDiceMan wrote:
Have to agree with mishydoodle. Turning of the tide is an excellent RT song.
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cunninghat wrote:
How come this man has never received the fame he deserves?
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mishydoodle wrote:
turning of the tide- best song in the world!
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nicferrier wrote:
1952 vincent black lightening is one of the best songs ever written. But check out Beeswing to make yourself really blub.
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TheHarrisTweed wrote:
not ashamed to admit that Black Lightning teers me up a lot
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jonny_alpha wrote:
Brilliant!
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hipcheck23 wrote:
zhim, his music would have to be 'popular' for it to be in the 'popular music' revue!
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zhimbo wrote:
Saw his 1000 Years of Popular Music show last night. Surprised he didn't fit in a single one of his own, but immensely entertaining evening.
Events
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Oct
28
Richard Thompson
McCarter Theatre, New York, United States
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| 4 attendees - Dec 11 Richard Thompson The Mystic Theatre, San Francisco, United States
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Jan
15
Richard Thompson
Barbican Centre, London, United Kingdom
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| 14 attendees
Listeners
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JenEric
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scberry
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BruceMidd
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ptk921
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wingdilcreosote
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Recent Activity
- triumphtr6, hostelstrowis, Kirsten_Osa and 35 other people added Richard Thompson to their libraries. 3 hours ago
- themusicsaint tagged Richard Thompson with ‘folk rock’ and ‘folk’. last week
- goto_alaska, w5yb, alextorres2 and 11 other people added Richard Thompson to their libraries. last week
- JackW added Richard Thompson to the lineup of Richard Thompson at Corn Exchange. August 2008
- HavelockDane, mhlr, sunsetsong and 4 other people added Richard Thompson to their libraries. August 2008
- sil_mich tagged Richard Thompson with ‘00s’, ‘male vocalist’, ‘90s’, ‘memory’ and ‘80s’. August 2008
- chiclet8, PWH1950, ontheside and 4 other people added Richard Thompson to their libraries. August 2008
- Symmetricalsin tagged Richard Thompson with ‘seen live’. August 2008
- BryanCUFF added Richard Thompson to BryanCUFF’s library. August 2008
- visionsofsophia, hindolbittern, unclejerryskid and 11 other people added Richard Thompson to their libraries. August 2008
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Groups (42)
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Richard Thompson
137 members
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Cropredy Festival
58 members
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English Folk
235 members
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Fairport Convention
90 members
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Extensive Musical Taste
24,669 members
More Information
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