Billy Thompson has performed throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada. His songwriting, singing and guitar playing feature a unique amalgamation of blues, rock, funk, second line and soul.
Since 2022 Billy has toured with zydeco great CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band and has backed legends such as Little Milton, Albert King, Earl King and Art Neville, while opening for the likes of Robert Cray, Sonny Landreth, The Neville Brothers, Joe Cocker and George Thorogood and Jimmie Vaughan. He has performed on Barbara Walter’s The View, with the San Diego Symphony, and for the grand opening of L.A.’s House of Blues.
Billy has guested with musical icons the Doobie Brothers, Bill Payne of Little Feat, John Mooney, Mo Fess, the Honey Island Swamp Band and more. He has also provided lead guitar for award-winning playwright Keith Glover’s Bluesical, Thunder Knocking on the Door and served as musical supervisor / guitarist for Geva Theatre’s 2019 production, Revival: the Resurrection of Son House.
Billy’s eighth release, BT, which made the Top 25 on the Living Blues and Roots Music Report radio charts in 2018, boasts familiar sonic shapes contributed by long-time musical Los Angeles, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. "A Team" luminaries such as Mike Finnigan, James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Grammy winner, Tony Braunagel, Daryl Johnson. James East, Michael Leroy Peed, Eric Selby and Danny Campbell is rounded out by Gene Monroe and Michelle Lucas.
Billy’s 2012 release, A Better Man, was produced by Tony Braunagel, and featuring Mike Finnigan, 8-time Grammy winner Johnny Lee Schell, Kenny Gradney (Little Feat), James “Hutch” Hutchinson, Lenny Castro, Joe Sublett and Darrell Leonard. It was nominated by Blues Blast Magazine for 2012 “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, “ was featured as "Bluesbreaker of the Week" on Dan Aykroyd's Elwood's House of Blues Hour.
A 2024 release is planned w/ Berklee grad recordist/producer/bassist extraordinaire Golder O’Neill.
Some 2023 appearances include the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Great American Music Festival, the Minnesota State Fair, Antone’s 48th Anniversary, the Mendocino Music Festival, BT played in the BB King’s NoLa All Stars, 2017-2018, on NPR’s Mountain Stage 2014, at the House of Blues (Chicago) and Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay (San Diego).
