The Grand Rapids guitarist and singer chatted and performed during this week’s Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new tracks by The Turnips, Everyday Junior, Monte Pride and more.
‘Bombarded With Different Kinds of Music’: Lynn Thompson incorporates those influences into his recording projects. (Photo/Local Spins)
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Seven years removed from release of his last album, “More Money,” Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Lynn Thompson finds himself “kind of on a roll.”
Not only did he officially release his new contemporary folk album, “Flying Friend,” this weekend, but he’s already halfway through another recording project that boasts a different, full-band flavor.
Lynn Thompson, “Flying Friend”
“I’m excited about my projects,” he says, calling “Flying Friend” a transitional album that was “pretty appropriate for what was going on with my life at the time.”
“The whole CD is pretty easy listening. That’s kind of how I was feeling. Now, I’m really energetic and want to do more aggressive music.”
As a result, the guitarist and singer plans to release another album next year, one that boasts a “Southernish” flavor with some country and bluegrass textures, too.
Thompson’s genre-shifting tack isn’t surprising considering his father was a bluegrass musician “from the hills of Virginia” and the family moved to Chicago when Thompson was a young boy.
“I was bombarded with different kinds of music … You learn blues at a young age and with the country (music), and next thing I’m 18 and in a band doing Deep Purple,” he recounts. “From there, I was into jazz rock fusion music. Now I listen to just about anything and everything and nothing at all.”
Thompson brought that eclectic vibe to this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE (88.1 FM), talking about his music and performing two songs – “Shine Down” and “Moonshine Runner” – on the air. Listen to the full podcast below, with some video snippets from his performance here.
VIDEO LINK: Lynn Thompson, Local Spins on WYCE:
https://www.facebook.com/john.sinkevics/videos/vb.1050966703/10209368229656645/?type=2&theater
Despite its laid-back milieu, Thompson called on an all-star West Michigan cast of musicians to record “Flying Friend” with Grand Rapids producer Al McAvoy, including Dan Giacobassi, Justin Avdek, Justin Wierenga, Michael Kelly, Dutcher Snedeker, Kevin DePree, Craig Avery and Jim Shaneberger.
As for assembling a new band for 2017 and his next album, Thompson said he’s going to “take it as it comes.”
Lynn Thompson
“I’m going to take it easier this time and build it, and get the people who are right for what I need,” said Thompson who’s eyeing “a big show” for the summer.
Whatever band situation might result, Thompson considers himself first and foremost a singer-songwriter who writes from his own experiences and perspective, as well as “through the eyes of other people.”
”I’m a singer-songwriter. That’s really what I am,” he says, noting he finds inspiration in different forms of music, even in the pop of boy bands. “It’s inspirational for me to find some tones they use and incorporate it into what I’m doing, and make it sound newer and more sensitive actually.”
Fans can catch Thompson performing live on New Year’s Eve at Whitefish Lake Golf & Grill in Pierson. The show begins at 7 p.m. and also features Sadie J. Tucker and Danny Yother.
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The Dec. 16 edition of Local Spins on WYCE also featured new tracks by The Turnips, Everyday Junior, Monte Pride, The Underground Circus (this week’s musician’s pick) and The Mainstays as well as music from Elroy Meltzer, The Crane Wives and Shane Tripp. Listen to the full podcast here.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (Dec. 16, 2016)
Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC
