Chris Thompson
Christopher Malcolm Thompson is a very experienced and professional Folk/Blues/Country singer/songwriter from Raglan, who's musical heroes are musicians like Wizz Jones and Townes van Zandt. Chris has made many records and has recorded with such luminaries as Brendan Power, Dave McArtney, Frank Gibson, Chris Priestley and Tom Ludvigson. Chris started out in the local Folk Clubs after having had guitar lessons from David Calder of The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.In the late sixties/early seventies, he moved to England where played guitar in the band of well known Californian folk singer Julie Felix. . While in England in the early 1970s Chris played with British Folk-Blues legends Wizz Jones and Davey Graham. In New Zealand in 1974 Chris toured with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee; he has maintained a lifelong friendship with Brownie, for whom he wrote a song ("Letter to Brownie"), which was videoed by TVNZ.In 1984, Chris toured N.Z.with Stevie Ray Vaughan,opening the show in a major nationwide concert tour. Chris has had three albums reach the finals of the N.Z. Music Industry awards. Chris has had his songs recorded by New Zealand artists Mike Harding,The Big Muffin Serious Band, Jimmy Young and James Wilkinson, Chris Priestley, and in America, by Meg Baird of the Philadelphia neo-folk group The Espers. In England The Straw Bear Band and Ben Thistle have recorded Chris' songs. Recently (and again, in America ) Chris' most well-known song Where is my Wild Rose? has been recorded by Robin Pecknold of The Fleet Foxes Within the last few weeks, Little Ballerina a song Chris wrote for his daughter has been covered by Willard Ribeiro a singer from Brazil.
Releases
- Chris Thompson (album) album, 1973
- Echoes from the Pit album, 1975
- Minstrelsy album, 1977
- Hometown Voodoo album, 1981
- The Natural Blues album, 1983
- The Road to Raglan album, 1990
- Far Out and Solid album, 1992
- Coffee Break album, 1993
- Song for Laura album, 1995
- Time Flies album, 2000
- For my Double album, 2004
- The White Sapphire album, 2005
- Chris Thompson (Anthology), 2010
- Chris Thompson and Stan Jagger album, 2011
- Where is my Wild Rose? album, 2013
as Chris and Lynne Thompson:
- Together album, 1985
- Live in Concert album, 1988
Compilations:
- Alabama Song, London Blues and Don't be Afraid appeared on the 1974 compilation First Thrust
- I Wanna Be Me appears on the 1979 compilation Festival Music
- Ain't No Telling, The Coffin On The Baggage Train Ahead and Diamond Blues appear on the 1982 compilation Paths - New Songs of New Zealand
- Love and Hugo Spellman appears on the 1983 compilation Masters of Folk Guitar
- Poor Little Thing and She should have been a Lady (by Chris and Lynn Thompson) appear on the 1985 compilation Auckland Acoustics
- Vox Populi appears on the 2000 compilation Acoustic Magic
- Back In The City appears on the compilation Sitar Cerebrations Vol 2
External Links
Internet
Videos on Youtube:
- Chris Thompson - Crossroads Blues
- Television New Zealand Interview/performance of Only One Way Out Of Town, 1993
- Chris Thompson and Big Muffin Serious Band - Hamilton
- Chris Thompson and Stan Jagger - Grocer's Blues
- Chris Thompson Television New Zealand - The Road to Raglan
- Chris Thompson - If You Lose Your Money
- Chris Thompson - Take Two
- Chris Thompson and The Wild Allegations - When i am Dead
This Chris Thompson should not be confused with Chris Thompson, the vocalist from Manfred Mann, who also spent time in Hamilton, including attending Hamilton Boys High School.
