Linda And Richard Thompson

Cataloging recordings that span the best part of 40 years, Live at the BBC is a three-CD/DVD set from Richard Thompson, one of the most highly influential guitarists and songwriters in British music. Including duets with Linda Thompson such as “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight” and “Shoot Out the Lights,” there is also work from his 1000 Years of Popular Music project, including covers such as the Kinks' “See My Friends” and “So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo,” an Italian cathedral song from the 16th century. Live at the BBC is an immense body of work that displays Thompson's effortless ability to play many different styles with aplomb.

Career-spanning four CD box set from the British Folk Rock legend spanning the years 1969-2009. The songs chosen for this selection of his work were carefully assembled and aim to provide a real sense of Richard Thompson, as well as to celebrate the diversity of his music - Rock 'n' Roll with Folk, Jazz, Rockabilly and the odd waltz thrown in - the scope of his songwriting, and the sheer virtuosity of his playing. Produced by Richard Thompson, Walking On A Wire impressively includes 71 tracks from albums released by 15 different labels, and includes a 60 page booklet with new notes by Patrick Humphries.
"A perennial dark-horse contender for the title of Greatest Living Rock Guitarist…. folks should be sated by this excellent 71-track primer, which also shows the U.K. vet as a world-class songwriter. 4.5 Stars" – Rolling Stone, August 9,2009

Richard & Linda Thompson's marriage was crumbling as they were recording Shoot Out the Lights in 1982, and many critics have read the album as a chronicle of the couple's divorce. In truth, most of the album's songs had been written two years earlier (when the Thompsons were getting along fine) for an abandoned project produced by Gerry Rafferty, and tales of busted relationships and domestic discord were always prominent in their songbook.

In 1972, Mike and Lal Waterson released an extraordinary album of their original songs, Bright Phoebus. This magical collection of very English songwriting has long been acknowledged a classic and one of the finest achievements of the British folk revival. Shining Bright was conceived to pay tribute to Mike & Lal's remarkable songs, and it draws upon the songs recorded for Bright Phoebus, and on a further dozen songs written at the same time but not previously recorded. Features 15 tracks performed by Norma Waterson, Dayteller, Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Eliza Carthy, Blue Murder, Dick Gaughan, Linda & Teddy Thompson, Helen Watson, Billy Bragg & The Blokes, Martin Carthy, Christine Collister & others.

Acoustic Classics, a collection of newly recorded timeless Richard Thompson songs, features 14 tracks culled from his 40 plus year music career. For the first time ever, acoustic versions of songs like "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" and "Dimming of the Day" mingle with cornerstone classics like "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" and "Beeswing" as well as other acoustically rendered gems. "I really wanted to have something that would reflect the acoustic shows," Richard explains, "But we didn't have anything like that. Just some old, slightly scratchy recordings of solo sets that I wasn't really happy with." His last proper solo acoustic release was the live Small Town Romance, and that was more than 30 years ago! In the meantime, the acoustic shows have evolved as a full parallel to his band tours. Thompson was named by Rolling Stone Magazine's as one of the Top 20 Guitarists of all time and considered one of the UK's most outstanding songwriters and musicians.

From his time in folk-rock innovators Fairport Convention through the 50 years since his solo debut Henry the Human Fly, Richard Thompson has qualified as an obvious legend. His songwriting, singing, and guitar playing all stand out as both exceptional and versatile. Now in a later phase of his evolution, he's moved away from the exploratory nature of his early and mid-career albums; like other recent Thopmson albums, Ship to Shore focuses on presenting a new set of his amazing songs and delivery, with a balance of cohesion and variety.

Watching The Dark contains 3 CDs with 23 live, rare and unreleased tracks spanning the years 1969-1992. Also included is a 24-page booklet with photos, a complete biography and a selected discography. Includes liner notes by Greil Marcus, Joe Boyd and Leslie Berman. This three-disc set contains too many rarities and flouts chronology too blatantly to function as a simple best-of. Rather, it's an eclectic overview that dips deep enough into the archives to appeal to the hardcore fans that make up most of Thompson's audience while featuring enough classics to operate as a de facto "Greatest Hits" for those unfamiliar with the unjustly hitless guitarist/singer/songwriter. Previously unreleased live cuts display Thompson's unrivaled way with his axe ("Can't Win," "Calvary Cross"). Fans of Thompson's folkier side will delight at never-before heard traditional tunes like "Bogie's Bonnie Belle" and "Poor Wee Jockey Clarke." There are even some previously unheard Fairport tracks for those who've been in on Thompson's special gift from the very beginning. If you love Thompson, you must own this.

As the title indicates, this album brings together various members of the musical Thompson family: Teddy Thompson, his acclaimed folk rocker parents Richard and Linda, brother Jack, younger sister Kami, her husband James and nephew Zak Hobbs, collectively dubbed Thompson. This collaborative album of original songs captures the warmth, intelligence and humour of this supremely talented family as they record together for the very first time. The family members all wrote and recorded their songs where they live and sent them in; once done, the family met up for four days of studio time in London and New York City where the tracks were recorded with Teddy at the helm. The recordings feature abundant musical cross-pollination from all the performers as well as shared backing vocals.