Richard Thompson

An iconic figure in British folk-rock, Richard Thompson is arguably the genre's greatest triple threat: a dazzling guitarist, an outstanding songwriter, and a strong and evocative vocalist. As one of the founding members of the group Fairport Convention, Thompson would have a seismic impact on both U.K. folk and rock, incorporating elements of traditional music (most effectively on 1969's Liege and Lief) in a way that sparked a new interest in authentic British folk. After leaving Fairport, Thompson recorded a series of albums with his spouse Linda Thompson that established him as an estimable guitarist and tunesmith; while they were a favorite with critics (especially with 1974's I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight), the sales of their albums were usually dismal. With suitable irony, the couple was experiencing a commercial breakthrough with 1982's Shoot Out the Lights when their marriage rancorously ended. Richard launched a solo career in earnest with 1983's Hand of Kindness, and through the '80s and '90s, thanks to an increased touring schedule, better promotion of his releases, and livelier production (often from frequent collaborator Mitchell Froom), Thompson's cult following grew considerably, and his song "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" (from 1992's Rumor and Sigh) became a folk and bluegrass standard, especially after it was covered by the Del McCoury Band in 2001. After more than a decade recording for Capitol Records, Thompson returned to an independent label with 2003's The Old Kit Bag, in which he returned to a more organic production style. Thompson wavered between acoustic projects (2005's Front Parlour Ballads) and more robust full-band efforts (2013's Electric), but despite his status as an elder statesman of the singer/songwriter community, he remained active and engaged as a writer and musician, releasing the powerful 13 Rivers in 2018, when he was 69 years old.