His song
lyrics paint the most colourful characters. I first came across Richard Thompson
when I was a student and when I heard some of his Bright Lights album songs on
a visit to Stirling uni – and I was hooked from the start with the energy and
dynamics of his guitar, his colourful songs and the sultry expression and tones
of his then wife Linda, and I learned to sing Richard’s insightful songs.
As well as
being a brilliant song writer Thompson, with his own very individual guitar style,
is one of our top guitarists and he is listed in Rolling Stones top one hundred guitarists.
My favourite
Richard Thompson songs are – Bright Lights, Heart Needs a Home, Down Where the
Drunkards Roll, Dimming of the Day, This Cruel Country, .
With an
artist’s paintbrush Richard draws real life stories and unforgettable
characters. They grab emotionally with pain and joys.
Richard
likes to improvise and play from instinct with his unexpected, soulful guitar
that leaps and springs at you, wrapped around with challenging intelligent
lyrics that speak in clear unforgiving voices. His songs tell of troubled,
characters, about flying free and escaping life’s pressures. His songs are
edgy, brooding at times, mournful and thoughtful with lines such as -
‘There
goes a troubled women she dreams a troubled dream, She lives out on the
highway, She keeps her money clean.’
‘I was a butterfly lived for a day, I
could be free just floating away.
This cruel country has teased me and
lied.’
Richard grew
up in London,
in a musical family. His Scottish father exposed him to a record collection of
both jazz and traditional folk, which provide a unique and wide music
background. This interesting mix of styles led to Richard rich and original
song writing style. He has collaborated
with many, including Crowded house, John Martyn, Al Stewart, Matthews Southern
Comfort, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake and more. Richard continues to tour.
He also writes great quotes
on his website! "I prefer to concentrate on songs that are deserving, but
slightly too arcane to be in every household -- the also-rans, the misfits, the
hidden jewels."
"It's an honour to have this job and, to
me, the greatest thing is to be up on stage and to feel that connection with an
audience... It actually doesn't matter how big that audience is, as long as you
get the feeling that there's that musical communication there... that mystical
thing that happens in a room full of people. Music is played, things change
subtly. It's a beautiful thing. "
Richard
Live. I have seen Richard Thompson three times live in Glasgow – the first time a quality gig at the
concert hall along with bassist Danny Thompson.
The next was
at an excellent set at the Old Fruitmarket, where he rocked with his band and
he played songs from his 2009 album, as well as his top quality back catalogue
of songs.
I also saw
Thompson perform an accomplished set at the Glasgow Concert hall as part of
Celtic in 2010, where I also took photos.
He now lives
with his new wife in LA and a few years back there was an interesting tv
program about his songwriting. There is something insightfully real, truthful
and optimistic about the human condition in Richards songs.
Richard and Linda
Thompson had their first major album with I
want to See the Bright Lights in 1974. Thompson continues to record and
tour to this day.
Richard Thompson, British songwriter, guitarist and recording and performing musician. Richard
Thompson made his début as a recording artist as a member of Fairport Convention in September 1967. He
continues to write and record new material regularly and frequently performs
live throughout the world. Thompson was appointed an OBE in the 2011 New Year
Honours for services to music.[5]
On 5 July 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Aberdeen. His songwriting has
earned him an Ivor Novello Award and a lifetime achievement
award from BBC Radio (2006).
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
