Bob Thompson (pianist)

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Bob Thompson
Birth nameRobert H. Thompson
Born (1942-12-12) December 12, 1942 (age 82)
Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, gospel
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger
InstrumentPiano
Years active1970s–present

Robert H. "Bob" Thompson (born December 12, 1942) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger based in West Virginia, whose music career has spanned for over 50 years. He is the featured house pianist for West Virginia's Public Broadcasting nationally syndicated show, Mountain Stage, and is the founding member of The Bob Thompson Unit. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Thompson was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York, where as a teenager, he began his music career as the bass singer of a do-wop group called The Chanters. [2] He later on moved to Charleston, West Virginia in the mid-1960s to attend West Virginia State College, where he first played the trumpet, but later on switched to the piano in order to join a jazz band. [5] [6] [2] After switching to the piano, Thompson played with several jazz bands such as The Modern Jazz Interpreters, and Joi. [7]

Music career

In 1981, Thompson released his debut album Morning Star, under the Rainbow Records label, [8] followed by his second album 7 In, 7 Out, released in 1984; he then signed with Intima Records , where he released his next three albums, Brother's Keeper (1986), Say What You Want (1988), and Wilderness (1989). Thompson then signed with Ichiban Records , where he released five more albums, Love Dance (1992), followed by The Magic in Your Heart (1993), Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit (1996), Lady First (1997), and Spirit (2003).

Throughout his career, Thompson has played with several musicians such as guitarist Larry Coryell, violinist John Blake Jr., guitarist Kevin Eubanks, and drummer Omar Hakim, [2] and has also toured internationally, performing in Europe, Africa and South America. [5] [9] His music was also featured in the "Local Forecast" segments on The Weather Channel during the 1980s and 1990s. [10]

Since 1991, Thompson has been the featured house pianist for West Virginia's Public Broadcasting nationally syndicated show, Mountain Stage. [2] [4] [7] He is also the co-producer and host of the holiday jazz show, Joy to the World, which is broadcast on radio stations nationwide, and internationally on the Voice of America. [5] [9] In addition, he is the founder and member of the jazz fusion band, The Bob Thompson Unit. [11]

In 2015, Thompson was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. [2] [4] [7]

Discography

Discography Citation: [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Bob Thompson". Discogs. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Macko, Rob (8 February 2022). "Honoring Black History: Bob Thompson". WOWK 13 News. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  3. ↑ Keller, Michael W. (11 December 2022). "This Week in West Virginia History". The Register-Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Bob Thompson". Colortones.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Bob Thompson Band". Peoples Bank Theatre. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  6. ↑ "Bob Thompson". International Musician. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Bob Thompson". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Morning Star - Bob Thompson". AllMusic . Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Heritage & Legacy: Bob Thompson". Born & Bred Music. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "Search Results". TWC Classics. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "The Bob Thompson Unit on Mountain Stage". NPR. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  12. ↑ "Bob Thompson Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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