Teddy Thompson

When your parents are famous folkies Richard and Linda Thompson, your life isn't exactly a normal one. For Teddy Thompson, "normal" meant growing up in a London commune with his family. Gravitating to music early on, Thompson started his first band while in his early teens and by the time he finished school, the 18-year-old was certain music was his calling. To no one's surprise, he packed up and moved to Los Angeles to begin writing songs in earnest. He played shows as often as possible and soon developed a reputation as a singer-songwriter on the rise. A deal with Virgin Records was eventually struck, and Thompson's self-titled debut was released in 2000. The Joe Henry-produced album was an impressive offering and effectively silenced those who doubted Thompson's seemingly effortless ability to impart loneliness in his songs. However, just as swiftly, fate stuck a fat finger in Thompson's eye: all his supporters at the label were let go in a company merger. Dropped from his label and in the doldrums, the musician decided to relocate to New York in order to give his career (as well as himself) a kick in the pants. In 2002, Teddy did the unimaginable and drew his mother Linda out of retirement, after a stress-related speech disorder impaired her ability to sing. Cowriting with his mother and playing on her album turned out to be one of the highlights of Thompson's career thus far, and seemed to inflame his own work. Shortly afterwards, he released an EP and went on tour as a member of Rosanne Cash's band. Keeping busy, but always writing, Thompson eventually caught the attention of Verve Records. His stunning Separate Ways was released to critical acclaim in February 2006.