Chris Thompson

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1973 cover of the self titled "Chris Thompson" album

Christopher Malcolm Thompson is a singer/songwriter who has recorded with such luminaries as John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Dave McArtney (Hello Sailor). He also played guitar for well known Californian folk singer Julie Felix, and toured with Stevie Ray Vaughan. While in England in the early 1970s Chris jammed with British Folk-Blues legends Wizz Jones and Davey Graham. 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. Chris has had three albums reach the finals of the N.Z. Music Industry awards and had his songs recorded by N.Z. artists Mike Harding, Jimmy Young and James Wilkinson, Chris Priestley, and (internationally) Meg Baird of the Philadelphia neo-folk group The Espers.Most recently, Chris' song "Where is my Wild Rose?" has been recorded by Robin Pecknold of The Fleet Foxes.

Chris is an old boy of Southwell School and has spent most of his life in and around Hamilton, where he recorded Hometown Voodoo in 1981; this album contains the song "Hamilton", about the city. This song has become widely known since in a version played by Big Muffin Serious Band. He moved to Auckland in 1985, and married a Canadian-born musician and songwriter Lynne, with whom he has released two albums. They relocated to Raglan in 1988. Chris is now living in Hamilton again, near his daughter Lora (who plays bass in the Heavy Metal band "Wretch"). Lora has recently graduated from WINTEC(with honours)and is currently playing in the Pantera tribute band "101 Proof".

In 2000 Chris released the track Vox Populi on the Hamilton compilation Acoustic Magic. Other projects have included recorded some tracks with Tim Armstrong in 2007, taking part in "The Monday Club" project, playing with Emit Snake-Beings in "The Dirt Band" - with whom he has made several Youtube videos (see below) - and completed his Arts degree at Waikato University in 2009. Chris' most recent studio album "The White Sapphire" (a.k.a. "Eighteen months in the Bates Motel") is available for download from amplifier.co.nz. On current international release is a double CD from, simply titled Chris Thompson, which is an anthology of Chris' work featuring twenty-six selections from Chris' 40 years of recording. Chris and well-known local musician Stan Jagger are now working together, playing mainly Chris' songs and instrumentals. They gave their debut performance in a successful concert at Biddy Mulligan's Irish Bar in September 2011. They also have released a CD, recorded live in the studio by Chris' daughter Lora, on sale in Hamilton at Auteur House.

Releases

Chris Thompson (Anthology) cover art

as Chris and Lynne Thompson:

with The Monday Club:


Compilations:

External Links

Videos on Youtube:


with The Dirt Band:


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.

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