Richard Thompson with Zara Phillips - Edinburgh

Richard Thompson’s musical influence cannot be overstated. Having co-founded the groundbreaking

group Fairport Convention as a teenager in the ‘60s, he and his bandmates invented

the distinctive strain of British Folk Rock. He left the group by the age of 21 which was

followed by a decade long musical partnership with his then-wife Linda, to over 30 years as a

highly successful solo artist.

In 2011, Thompson received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) personally bestowed upon

him by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The Los Angeles Times called him “the

finest rock songwriter after Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix” and Rolling

Stone has named him one of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. He has received lifetime

achievement awards for songwriting from the BBC Radio 2 Awards, the Americana Music

Association, and was awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Award. His song “1952 Vincent

Black Lightning” was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Greatest Songs Since 1923.” A

wide range of musicians have recorded Thompson’s songs including Robert Plant, Elvis

Costello, R.E.M., Sleater-Kinney, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Jones, David Byrne, Don

Henley, Los Lobos, and many more. His massive body of work includes many Grammy

nominated albums as well as numerous soundtracks, including Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man

and 2019’s The Cold Blue.



His genre defying mastery of both acoustic and electric guitar along with engaging energy

and onstage wit continue to earn him new fans and a place as one of the most distinctive

virtuosos and writers in Folk Rock history. In May 2024 Richard Thompson released to critical

acclaim, Ship To Shore, his first studio album in six years.