Godfrey (musician)

Last updated

Godfrey Thomson
Godfrey Thomson - 2014.jpg
Thomson at Red Rocks Amphitheatre September 2014
Background information
Birth nameGodfrey James Thomson
OriginUnited States
Genres
Occupations
Instruments
Years active2000–present
Labels
Website godfreymusic.com

Godfrey James Thomson, better known as Godfrey, is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist and record producer based in Austin, Texas. [1] [2] [3] He co-founded the alternative rock band, Saints of Valory, in 2008 where he is the lead guitarist and vocalist. [4] [3] With Saints of Valory, he has released 2 singles, 4 EPs and 1 full-length album. They were previously signed to Atlantic Records and Universal Music Publishing Group. [5] [6] Godfrey collaborated with Nitty Scott and released "Sugar Puss" his first single as a solo artist on March 27, 2020. [7]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Godfrey Thomson voice acting * Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Godfrey Thomson - Voice acting.jpg
Godfrey Thomson voice acting • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Godfrey was born to American parents and moved to Brazil at 1 year of age. As a young child, he began performing and playing guitar in public. At the age of nine, Godfrey began recording vocals and voice acting in English, Spanish and Portuguese languages. At the age of 15, he moved to Los Angeles, CA with his family. During his teen years, Godfrey moved to Tokyo, Japan with a friend to pursue a career in audio/video engineering and music production. [8] [9]

Career

Godfrey returned to the US in his early 20's and began working as a record producer and audio engineer. In the early 2000s, he relocated to Mexico City where he built an audio recording studio and continued his record producing career. [8] In 2008, Godfrey moved back to the United States and began composing music for television and film. He composed hard rock and alt-rock soundtracks for NBC Sports Channel and Outdoor Channel as well as for shows such as Cars.TV and The American Athlete . [9]

In 2008, Godfrey and his childhood friend Gavin Jasper formed the alternative rock band, Saints of Valory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [3] [10] Gerard Labou also visited Brazil and joined the band as the drummer. [8] [3] The band self-released their first EP, "The Bright Lights", in 2010. [8] Saint of Valory was named one of Billboard's Top Unsigned Artists in 2012. [11] Between 2010 and 2018, Godfrey's musical career continued as the co-founder and the lead guitarist of Saints Of Valory who were signed to Atlantic Records in 2012. [8] They subsequently signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group in 2014. [12] [8] During these times, Godfrey was voted top 10 guitarists in Austin, Texas for 2010–2011. [13]

Thomson at audio engineering school * Tokyo, Japan Godfrey Thomson-Recording Studio-Japan.jpg
Thomson at audio engineering school • Tokyo, Japan

Godfrey's notable performances with Saints of Valory include supporting The Rolling Stones, One Republic at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Imagine Dragons, Fitz and The Tantrums, AWOL Nation, Coachella Music Festival, Austin City Limits, Rock in Rio Brazil and Rock in Rio USA. [14] [3] [15] [16]

In March 2020, Godfrey released his first single as a solo artist called, "Sugar Puss" featuring Nitty Scott. The single received positive reviews at multiple music websites. [17] On May 15, 2020, Godfrey released a second single, "Let Me." along with the instrumental version. [18] He wrote his third single following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protesting, "Hard Look (Mirror And Me)" was released on Juneteenth 2020. [19]

Godfrey Thomson supporting The Rolling Stones at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway * 4th of July, 2015 Godfrey Thomson - The Rolling Stones.jpg
Godfrey Thomson supporting The Rolling Stones at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway • 4th of July, 2015

Discography

As a solo artist
SinglesYear
"Sugar Puss (feat. Nitty Scott) [Raucous Mix]"2020
"Let Me."2020
"Hard Look (Mirror And Me)"2020
With Saint of Valory
TitleYearTypeNotes
"The Bright Lights"2010 Extended Play
"Providence"2010Single
"Kids EP"2012Extended Play
"Possibilities EP"2013Extended Play
"Neon Eyes"2013Single
"V"2014Extended Play
Bleeding Rainbows2018Album

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hot Chili Peppers</span> American rock band

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, and psychedelic rock. Their eclectic range has influenced genres such as funk metal, rap metal, rap rock, and nu metal. With over 120 million records sold worldwide, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the top-selling bands of all time. They hold the records for most number-one singles (15), most cumulative weeks at number one (91) and most top-ten songs (28) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They have won three Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rolling Stones</span> English rock band

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pioneered the gritty, rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock. Their first stable line-up consisted of vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts. During their early years, Jones was the primary leader. Andrew Loog Oldham became their manager in 1963 and encouraged them to write their own songs. The Jagger–Richards partnership soon became the band's primary songwriting and creative force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZZ Top</span> American rock band

ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For 51 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues style and Hill and Beard's rhythm section. They are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching appearances of Gibbons and Hill, who wore sunglasses, hats and long beards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pretenders</span> British rock band

The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers. Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only continuous member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Colour</span> American rock band

Living Colour is an American hard rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish. Stylistically, their music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip hop, punk, and alternative rock. The band's lyrics range from the personal to the political, including social commentary on racism in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Journey (band)</span> American rock band

Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band as of 2024 consists of guitarist/vocalist Neal Schon, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Cain, keyboardist/vocalist Jason Derlatka, drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo, bassist Todd Jensen, and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar Ray</span> American rock band

Sugar Ray is an American rock band formed in Newport Beach, California, in 1986. Originally playing heavier funk metal and nu metal style music, the band achieved mainstream popularity in 1997 with their more pop-influenced single "Fly". The song's success led the band to shift its style dramatically to the more radio-friendly pop sound with their subsequent releases. Their best-selling album, 14:59, was released in 1999, and featured popular singles "Every Morning", "Someday", followed by a self-titled album in 2001 featuring the single "When It's Over". The band would release two further albums, In the Pursuit of Leisure (2003) and Music for Cougars (2009), though the albums and respective singles generally sold far less. The band continued to tour into the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1971 single by The Rolling Stones

"Brown Sugar" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written primarily by Mick Jagger, it is the opening track and lead single from their ninth studio album, Sticky Fingers (1971). It became a number one hit in both the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it charted at number two. In the United States, Billboard ranked it as the number 16 song for 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasabian</span> English rock band

Kasabian are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and second vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Karloff left the band in 2006 and founded a new band called Black Onassis. Jay Mehler joined as touring lead guitarist in 2006, leaving for Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye in 2013, to be replaced by Tim Carter, who later became a full-time band member in 2021. Meighan left the band in July 2020, with Pizzorno stepping up as full-time lead vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregg Rolie</span> American musician (b. 1947)

Gregg Alan Rolie is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter. Rolie served as lead singer of the bands Santana and Journey – both of which he co-founded. He also helmed rock group the Storm, performed in Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band until 2021, and since 2001 with his Gregg Rolie Band. Rolie is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having been inducted both as a member of Santana in 1998 and as a member of Journey in 2017.

<i>Californication</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Californication is the seventh studio album by U.S. rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999, on Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Rick Rubin. Along with Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication is one of the band’s best-selling albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Valory</span> American bassist (born 1949)

Ross Lamont Valory is an American musician who is best known as the original bass player for the rock band Journey from 1973 to 1985 and again from 1995 to 2020. Valory was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mavericks</span> American band

The Mavericks are an American band from Miami, Florida. The band consists of Raul Malo, Paul Deakin (drums), Eddie Perez, and Jerry Dale McFadden (keyboards). Malo and Deakin founded the band in 1989 along with Robert Reynolds and Ben Peeler. After one independent album, the band was signed by MCA Nashville Records and David Lee Holt replaced Peeler on lead guitar; he would be replaced by Nick Kane shortly after their second MCA album and third overall 1994's What a Crying Shame. The band recorded a total of four albums for MCA and one for Mercury Records before disbanding in 2000. They reunited for one album in 2003 on Sanctuary Records, by which point Perez had become their fourth guitarist, and former touring keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden became an official fifth member. The lineup of Malo, Deakin, Reynolds, Perez, and McFadden reunited a second time in 2012 for a series of new albums, first on Big Machine Records' Valory imprint and then on Mono Mundo. Reynolds was fired in 2014 and Ed Friedland served as touring bassist until 2023, with Malo briefly taking over on bass before Scotty Huff joined as touring bassist in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss You (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1978 single by The Rolling Stones

"Miss You" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on Rolling Stones Records in May 1978. It was released as the first single one month in advance of their album Some Girls. "Miss You" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Machine Records</span> American record label

Big Machine Records is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executive David Gould and became a joint venture between Borchetta and country singer Toby Keith. The purchase of Big Machine Records by Scooter Braun's company, Ithaca Holdings, in 2019 resulted in a highly publicized dispute and controversy with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift regarding the ownership of the masters to her albums for the label.

<i>The Biggest Bang</i> 2007 video by The Rolling Stones

The Biggest Bang is a four-disc concert DVD collection released by the Rolling Stones. The collection documents several shows from the band's 2005–2006 legs of their A Bigger Bang Tour. The DVD debuted at number one on Billboard's music video chart, selling 20,422 copies during the first week, and had sold almost 48,000 copies by mid-September 2007. By 2012 it was certified seven times multi-platinum in the United States for shipments of some 175,000 units. It was re-released on Blu-ray on 16 June 2009, with only the concert of Austin and accompanying mini-documentary, the Salt of the Earth tour documentary, and the excerpt of the Saitama concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcelo Camelo</span> Musical artist

Marcelo de Souza Camelo is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, and poet. He is best known as composer and lead guitarist of the Brazilian band Los Hermanos. Since the end of the band, he continues composing for many interpreters, mainly Maria Rita and Ivete Sangalo. In 2008, his first solo CD, "Sou", was released.

Saints of Valory is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Gavin Jasper, Godfrey Thomson (guitar/vocals), and Stephen Buckle (keyboards/vocals). The band released their V EP on May 19, 2014. This was a follow-up to the Possibilities EP, which released on July 9, 2013, via Atlantic Records. The debut EP features the single "Neon Eyes".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boogarins</span> Psychedelic rock Brazilian band

Boogarins is a Brazilian alternative rock band formed in 2012, in Goiânia, by members Fernando "Dinho" Almeida and Benke Ferraz. Hans Castro (drums) and Raphael Vaz (bass) later joined to complete the quartet. In 2014, Ynaiã Benthroldo replaced Hans on drums. The band have performed at a variety of international festivals, such as Rock in Rio Lisboa, Primavera Sound, Porão do Rock, Coquetel molotov, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Lollapalooza and South by Southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston Wimberly</span> American singer-songwriter

Preston Wimberly is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist known for being a member of Jamestown Revival and a former member of The Wild Feathers.

References

  1. ↑ "Battle of the Bands 2012 Southwest". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  2. ↑ IMS,. "Saints of Valory Added as Second Special Guest to Open for The Rolling Stones". Indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Everybody Seems To Love The Dreamy Saints of Valory". December 9, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ "2015 Rock in Rio USA: Photos From the Festival". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Saints of Valory signs to Atlantic Records | Kings of A&R". kingsofar.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  6. ↑ Beringer, Erica (June 23, 2015). "Saints of Valory added as 2nd opener for Rolling Stones' Indy show". ..Wishtv.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  7. ↑ "GODFREY shares ‘Sugar Puss’ featuring Afro-Latinx rapper Nitty Scott". Grungecake.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Exclusive: Saints of Valory Untold Story". The Austinot. July 9, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Godfrey Information and Concert Dates Music Page 1". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ Peterson, Tyler. "Saints of Valory to Play WHBPAC, 11/10". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Saints of Valory Added to The Rolling Stones Bill – Indianapolis Indiana News". Naptown Buzz. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ↑ "Eric Johnson – Best Electric Guitar – Austin Music Awards – 2010 – Best Austin Musicians – The Austin Chronicle". Austinchronicle.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  14. ↑ IMS,. "Saints of Valory Added as Second Special Guest to Open for The Rolling Stones". Indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Música da banda internacional Saints of Valory embala o romance de Dunat". Malhação 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  16. ↑ Peru.com, Redacción (May 8, 2015). "Rock in Río: Saints of Valory abrió el esperado festival (FOTOS)". Peru.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ Ulitski, Rob. "GODFREY – 'Sugar Puss' (ft. Nitty Scott) Alternative/ EDM Pastel Wasteland". pastelwasteland.com/. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ "GODFREY Is Full Of Electro Energy On Let Me. – Neon Music – Digital Music Discovery & Showcase Platform". neonmusic.co.uk. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  19. ↑ "GODFREY: "Hard Look" (Mirror and Me)". Gas Mask Magazine. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.