California Autoharp Gathering

Ron Thompson
Rhythm & Blues Legend

Not many living blues musicians can say they have performed with and recorded for legends like Big Mama Thornton, Sonny Rhodes, Luther Tucker, Jimmy McCracklin, Pee Wee Crayton, Carla Thomas, School Boy Cleve, Percy Mayfield, Etta James, B.B. King, and Jimmy Reed. Ron Thompson can, and that’s just the beginning!

Ron Thompson is a legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of East Bay nightclubs and bars in the early 1970s. During many years of touring coast to coast with John Lee Hooker, Hooker was quoted as saying, "Ron Thompson, he's my main man!"

After serving as John Lee Hooker’s bandleader for seven years, Thompson went on to form his own group “Ron Thompson and His Resisters” and toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central America. In the early 80's, Ron met Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac) and the two became musical partners and close friends. Mick convinced Ron to move to Los Angeles where they formed the band, Mick Fleetwood’s “Blue Whale.”

Thompson is famous for his marathon, sweat-soaked sets everywhere he appears. Few performers put more energy into their performances than this slide-guitar wrangler and blues-belter. Ron will be touring extensively in 2007 at major blues festivals around the US, including headlining the Belvedere Blues Festival in Colorado in September.

Andy Grigg, music critic for Real Blues magazine, wrote in the 2005 August issue: “If you haven’t experienced Ron Thompson, I can’t even begin to convey the absolute go-for-broke Blues rave-ups and sweat-soaked pandemonium Thompson and his Resistors dispense on a nightly basis. When it comes to slide guitar workouts, I would say he's the Best in the World, and yet the man sings his ass off too!”

Ron won KGO radio’s (the biggest radio station in Northern California) “Best Music You Ever Heard” 2006 competition. Thompson received Real Blues magazine’s 2004 awards for Best Live West Coast Blues Act, Best West Coast Blues Slide Guitarist, and Best West Coast Blues Guitarist/Modern. He was nominated for a Grammy for his album, Resister Twister. Thompson also won two Bay Area Music Awards (Bammies) and has reaped countless other awards and accolades.

Shortly after recording with Chris Isaak on San Francisco Days and touring to promote the album, Thompson was called on stage. Isaak introduced him, telling the audience, "You might think these crowd barriers are here to keep you away from the stage. They're not. They're here to keep Ron Thompson away from you!”

Thompson has released a new all-solo CD, “Resonator”, in January 2007. Ron recorded on guitar, mandolin, piano, and vocals and then mixed it all together for an unbelievable all-Ron Thompson recording. Most of the material is comprised of original Ron Thompson compositions.

…"I've always felt Ron is the most talented blues guitarist I've ever seen. He can do it all. He's extraordinarily gifted…" --Tom Mazzolini, founder and producer of the San Francisco Blues Festival

This will be Ron’s second appearance at the California Autoharp Gathering. He will be leading a special “Midnight Jam” on Saturday evening. The jam is open to all participants, no matter what level of play you might be. Jemmy Bluestein will be assisting Ron with “chord signals” so that everyone can follow along. Experience this legendary blues performer in a rare acoustic environment – where you can play along!

Website: www.rtblues.com

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