Richard Thompson with Zara Phillips

Fairport Convention's co-founder - considered one of the finest rock songwriters and electric guitarists of all time - presents solo acoustic show. With support from Holly Carter.

Richard Thompson’s musical influence cannot be overstated. Through co-founding the ground-breaking group Fairport Convention as a teenager in the ‘60s, he and his bandmates invented the distinctive strain of British Folk Rock. He left the group by the time he was 21, which was followed by a decade long musical partnership with his then-wife Linda, to over 30 years as a highly successful solo artist. His undeniable talent has earned him several awards, including lifetime achievement awards for songwriting from the BBC Radio 2 Awards and the Americana Music Association, plus the prestigious Ivor Novello Award.

His song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Greatest Songs Since 1923” and a wide range of musicians have recorded his songs including Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Tom Jones, David Byrne, and many more.

His genre defying mastery of both acoustic and electric guitar along with engaging energy and onstage wit continue to earn him new fans and a place as one of the most distinctive virtuosos and writers in Folk Rock history. He promises a 50 minute acoustic set of old and new tracks, before Zara Phillips joins him on backing vocals for the last 40 minutes.