Guitarist Richard Thompson was named to the 2011 Honour’s List as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In February, 2010, Thompson took to the road with his band, making the unusual move of recording an album of all-new material in front of live audiences on a West Coast swing. The resulting work, <em>Dream Attic</em>, was released in August and is nominated for a Grammy.
In June, Thompson served as artistic director of London’s prestigious Meltdown Festival, during which he showcased a range of performers from the worlds of classical to punk to comedy to folk. His own festival performances included 1000 Years of Popular Music, the UK debut of Cabaret of Souls, a night of guitar greats (James Burton, Nokie Edwards, Dennis Coffey, and more), Loud & Rich (with Loudon Wainwright III), and a tribute to the late Kate McGarrigle.
He was named 2010 recipient of the MOJO Les Paul Award for guitar players, and has been nominated for a Musician of the Year statue at the upcoming BBC Folk Awards. Learn more at ichardthompson-music.com.