MP3 Ron Thompson - Resonator

âIâve always felt Ron is the most talented blues guitarist Iâve ever seen. He can do it all." --Tom Mazzolini, founder and producer of the San Francisco Blues Festival.

13 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Acoustic Blues, FOLK: Folk Blues



Details:
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 thatâs 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 â70s. 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 Hookerâs bandleader for seven years, Thompson went on to form his own groupâRon Thompson and His Resistersâ-and toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central America. In the early 80âs, 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 Fleetwoodâs 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 recently appeared at the world famous 2005 San Francisco Blues Festival as a headliner with the Legends of Chicago Blues (James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Willie âBig Eyesâ Smith, and more). In early 2006, Thompson appeared on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, a week-long luxurious music extravaganza in the Western Caribbean. During the voyage, Ron & His Resistors delivered four dazzling performances onboard and ashore. Thompson also joined such stars as Taj Mahal, Bobby âBlueâ Bland, Jimmy Thackery, Pete Sears (Hot Tuna), Tommy Castro, and countless other internationally known blues artists in frequent and electrifying jam sessions on the ship.

During last summerâs âReturn to the Midwest Tour,â Thompson knocked audiences senseless during performances in seven states, including the Bayfront Blues Festival and the Prairie Dog Blues Festival.

Tommy Castro said, âPlaying the blues in the Bay Area, I had many opportunities to see Ron perform. It's hard to describe the feeling you get from one of his shows, but it's a lot like when I witnessed one of the greats, like Buddy Guy, Albert Collins or Elvin Bishop. He plays a different style than those guys, but the power and soul that comes across when he plays has a similar effect on me. I was happy to find out that Ron and His Resisters were booked on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise. He did the West Coast proud. I sat next to Lonnie Brooks during one of Ron's shows. Lonnie looked over at me and said, âThis guys a monster, how come I don't know who he is?â I got a kick out of that.â

Andy Grigg, music critic for Real Blues magazine, wrote in the 2005 August issue: âIf you havenât experienced Ron T. âliveâ I canât 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.â

Ron recently won KGO radioâs (the biggest radio station in Northern California) âBest Music You Ever Heardâ 2006 competition. Thompson received Real Blues magazineâs 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.

Ron Thompson and His Resistorsâ 2004 CD, "Still Resisting," is currently receiving heavy airplay throughout the nation, as well as in Canada, England, Germany, Australia, Belgium, Mexico, and many other countries. "Still Resisting" was one of XM Bluesville satellite radioâs âTop 15 Clicks to Pickâ for ten consecutive weeks. "Still Resisting" was listed as Number 11 on Real Blues magazineâs âTop 100 Releases of 2005.â

Thompsonâs extensive discography includes four of his own albums, much studio work, and several European anthologies. Not only has he shared the stage with numerous blues luminaries, Thompson has performed with or recorded for such musical greats as Fleetwood Mac, Chris Isaak, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Elvin Bishop, Bill Medley, Huey Lewis, Dr. John, songwriter Bobby Womak, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Cray Band, Z.Z. Top, and legions of others artists.

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!â

Steve Cropper, one of the founding members of both Booker T. and the MG's and The Mar-Keys, (and who has also written songs with Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, and dozens of others) once said of Ron, âWhat this guy knows, you canât get out of a book.â

Thompsonâs new all-solo CD, Resonator, was released in January 2007. Ron recorded on guitar, mandolin, piano, and vocalsâand then mixed it all together for an unbelievable, quadruple threat, all-Ron Thompson recording. Most of the material is comprised of original Ron Thompson compositions.