Artist description Blues Singer/Songwriter

Music Style Acoustic and electric blues

Musical Influences Leadbelly, John Mayall, Keb Mo

Similar Artists Keb Mo, Eric Clapton

Artist History Junior Thompson has been writing and performing for the last 30 years. Along the way he has played with people like Elvis Costello, Henry McCullagh, Archie Lee Hooker and Louisiana Red, supported Roxy Music, Stray Cats and The Selector and played on various recordings including backing vocals on Tubular Bells.

Group Members Junior: Vocals/guitar/harmonica. Colin Gibson:bass Liam Genockey:drums. Phil Hudson:Electric guitar. Jem Turpin: Harmonica

Instruments Vocals, guitar, harmonica

Albums "Welcome Mister Blues", "Blues Impossible"

Press Reviews Hotpress review (9/12/98) of Welcome Mister Blues, Siobhan Long Thompson Wins If you were looking for evidence of the health of Irish accoustic and electric blues, then Welcome Mister Blues is all the pulse reading you'll need to assure you it's alive and kicking - and living in Galway. Junior Thompson may not be a veteran of the recording studios, but he's obviously clocked up more than his fair share of mileage. With a voice that's more Eric Clapton than Muddy Waters, and a mean line in harmonica, Mister Thompson (with a 'p') treads a beauteous path that's as refreshing as it is reassuring in its direction. Listening to the fluent slide guitar of Steve Tarrant on "Steady Rollin' Train", and the gospel/blues hipsway of "My Heart's Insane", it's clear that Junior Thompson's been basking in the waters of the Mississippi for a long, long time. Full of the kind of muted electric that Rory Gallagher made his own, Thompson's a man in no hurry to go anywhere - 'cept, maybe, when it comes to having his glass replenished. There's an unforced ease to Welcome Mister Blues that belies Thompson's neophyte status as a recording artist. He's utterly at home with the idioms of the blues which allows him to peddle it as an antidote to the toil and trouble of the 90's. Which is not to say that it's mired in the backwash of the blues of Robert Johnson or Sun House. No siree. Thopson pens all 12 tracks on the album, and while there's the occasional hint at a colour-by-numbers recipe being consulted (witness the Don Baker-tinged "Grown Up Blues"), there's a lot more that hints at a lateral thinker too. Take for example "Mary and John", a Lyle Lovett-like love triangle that swings and sways with the wry humour of one brought up listening to more West Texas swing than West Galway caoining. If you like your blues shaken, stirred and smiling - this is the record for you. A breath of fresh air. Can't wait to hear it all in 3D. Roll on the live show, Mister Thompson. "I don't know much about Junior Thompson, but I assume he's from Ireland as this CD was recorded in County Galway. He is also a good musician and, judging by this CD, a good songwriter too having written, or co-written all of the tracks. There's a nice mixture here, a total of 12 tracks ranging from a slow moody blues ballad like "Grown Up Blues" through folk blues all the way to heavy electric blues like "Daddy's On A Roll" I've been fascinated by this CD because it's so different "Steady Rollin' Train" reminded me of some old Bukka White stuff from the early 1940s, whilst "The Fly" put me in mind of some 70s John Mayall mixed with Snooks Eaglin. There are so many different influences hiding in this album that it's hard to define, but it's very easy to like I love it!" Terry Clear "This album grows and grows and grows. Welcome mister Blues welcome to my life" Mike Maloney - RTE 2FM "The blues is dead long live the blues! Goes to show that lesser known artists can often produce some real gems" Chris Mills - ShireFolk "One of the finest blues recordings of the year has to have been "Welcome Mister Blues" by Junior Thompson, instantly Thompson was recognised by audiences and critics alike as an incredible songwriter and singer. Don't miss this show." John Mannion - Roisin Dubh Galway, Ireland

Location Hastings, E.Sussex - United Kingdom

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