Richard Thompson
Mon, September 23, 2013
Doors: 6:00 pm / Show: 7:00 pm
Fletcher Opera Theater
Raleigh, N.C.

"[Richard Thompson is] a folksinger who doesn't sound out of place shredding like an arena-rock star... and still writes songs that sting and storm."  -- NPR

Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time, Richard Thompson is also one of the world's most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters. He is the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards for Songwriting on both sides of the Atlantic- including the Americana Music Association, the  BBC,  as well as Britain's prestigious Ivor Novello Awards. In 2011 Thompson was given an OBE (Order of the British Empire) presented to him by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.  He has most recently been nominated  2013's "Artist of the Year" by the Americana Music Honors & Awards.  A wide range of musicians have recorded Thompson's music  including Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, REM, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, David Byrne, Don Henley  and  many others.

Having co-founded the groundbreaking group Fairport Convention  as a teenager in the 60's, Richard Thompson essentially  helped invent British Folk Rock.  By the age of 21 he left the band to pursue his own career, followed by a decade-long musical partnership with his then-wife Linda, to over 25 years as a highly successful solo artist. 

Thompson's massive body of work includes over 40 albums as well as numerous soundtracks. His most recent CD, Electric, which came out earlier this year,  was produced by the great  Nashville  musician Buddy Miller. The album continues to receive positive praise with Rolling Stone declaring, "...the excellence is undeniable."

This year saw Richard Thompson headlining dates across the country as well as co-headlining shows with Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell plus  a spot on the Americanarama Tour sharing the stage with Wilco, My Morning Jacket  and  Bob Dylan.