Southern roots music - old-time, Cajun, blues and more -
for your listening and dancing pleasure!
Photo by Irene Young
Eric & Suzy have devoted their lives to the pursuit of weird and obscure old-time American music – warped fiddle tunes in odd tunings, cinematic ballads, country blues songs that contain mysterious metaphors, early Cajun music with incomprehensible French lyrics and backwards chords. Using fiddle, mandolin, guitars, Cajun accordion, banjo (and the occasional odd instrument such as the ten-stringed cuatro) they bring these early 20th century sounds right into the present day.
Eric's flatpicking on guitar and mandolin is exceptional for its purity of tone, speed, and soulfulness; Suzy is a powerful singer, an award-winning fiddler and Cajun accordion player who has apprenticed with older generation Louisiana Cajun musicians under an NEA Fellowship. Founding members of many influential roots music groups including the Black Mountain Boys, Any Old Time, the Klezmorim, and the California Cajun Orchestra, Eric and Suzy have also worked with Maria Muldaur, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, Jerry Garcia, Darol Anger, Laurie Lewis, the Savoy Doucet Cajun Trio, and many other fine musicians.
Eric and Suzy are available for concerts, dances, festivals, music camps, parties, weddings, and nearly any other occasion upon which acoustic music might be desired, and they're also active as teachers, both in workshop settings and private lessons.
Eric and Suzy are available for concerts, dances, festivals, music camps, parties, weddings, and nearly any other occasion upon which acoustic music might be desired, and they're also active as teachers, both in workshop settings and private lessons.
In 2023, Eric and Suzy offer two different concert performances (a mix is also possible!):
"Eric & Suzy Thompson’s Southern Journey"
Eric & Suzy Thompson's “Southern Journey" show reflects 50-plus years of diving deep into a broad spectrum of old-time music from the south — 1920s & 30s blues (Suzy is particularly fine interpreter of early women blues singers, both well known and obscure), Louisiana Cajun music (Eric and Suzy played for decades with the late Danny Poullard, with two award-winning CDs on the Arhoolie label, and Suzy apprenticed with Dewey Balfa in the 1980s) and bluegrass and old time repertoire from Eric’s years of playing in bands with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman (Eric can be heard on the “Before the Dead” box set). Occasionally the southern old time music strays further afield to include jibaro music from Puerto Rico, Greek rembetika or danzons from Mexico.
“Suzy Sings Siebel"
During the pandemic, Suzy developed a show focussed on the songs of Paul Siebel, the undeservedly obscure mid-20th century songwriter who died last April, after having left the music business behind in the 1980s. Siebel's best known song is “Louise” - “they all said Louise was not half bad”, and his “portrait” songs are among his most memorable. “Suzy Sings Siebel” includes songs from his two Electra LPs and even a few unrecorded songs. Although best known for her fiddling, Suzy is also an accomplished guitarist and has created her own settings for Siebel’s songs. Eric adds embellishments and leads on his guitar and mandolin.
"Eric & Suzy Thompson’s Southern Journey"
Eric & Suzy Thompson's “Southern Journey" show reflects 50-plus years of diving deep into a broad spectrum of old-time music from the south — 1920s & 30s blues (Suzy is particularly fine interpreter of early women blues singers, both well known and obscure), Louisiana Cajun music (Eric and Suzy played for decades with the late Danny Poullard, with two award-winning CDs on the Arhoolie label, and Suzy apprenticed with Dewey Balfa in the 1980s) and bluegrass and old time repertoire from Eric’s years of playing in bands with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman (Eric can be heard on the “Before the Dead” box set). Occasionally the southern old time music strays further afield to include jibaro music from Puerto Rico, Greek rembetika or danzons from Mexico.
“Suzy Sings Siebel"
During the pandemic, Suzy developed a show focussed on the songs of Paul Siebel, the undeservedly obscure mid-20th century songwriter who died last April, after having left the music business behind in the 1980s. Siebel's best known song is “Louise” - “they all said Louise was not half bad”, and his “portrait” songs are among his most memorable. “Suzy Sings Siebel” includes songs from his two Electra LPs and even a few unrecorded songs. Although best known for her fiddling, Suzy is also an accomplished guitarist and has created her own settings for Siebel’s songs. Eric adds embellishments and leads on his guitar and mandolin.
YouTube Channel
We've recently added some new videos to our YouTube channel: Eric & Suzy YouTube
There are lots of other YouTubes of us that you can find by searching.
We've recently added some new videos to our YouTube channel: Eric & Suzy YouTube
There are lots of other YouTubes of us that you can find by searching.
Nostalgic for the early days of the pandemic? Here's a home video! At Least Six Feet Away is a Covid parody (based on an old song by the Blue Ridge Singers) written by Allegra Thompson.
If you haven't already "liked" our FB page, please do and that way, you'll be notified when we have a FB live show coming up.
Our CDs are always available from us at our shows, or send us an email and buy from us direct!
Pictured here is our most recent CD with the Todalo Shakers, "Rock Away My Blues".
Pictured here is our most recent CD with the Todalo Shakers, "Rock Away My Blues".
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Our Eric and Suzy Thompson at the Old-Time Tiki Parlor DVD is available from the Old-Time Tiki Parlor itself. Here's the description off of the Old-Time Tiki Parlor website: "This powerhouse duo of traditional music powers through a hand-picked selection of Cajun, Blues and Old-Time songs and instrumentals. The raw power and virtuosity of their fiddle, guitar, voice and accordion work are all captured in this beautiful archival video. You’ll see and hear music from John Salyer, Dennis McGee, Mississippi Sheiks, Burl Hammons, Wade Fruge, Cheese Read, Melvin Wine, East Texas Serenaders and many more!" 18 selections. Click here to read Joel Savoy's extremely lovely blurb which appears on the inside of the package.
David Bragger wrote a short piece about the making of our DVD which you can find here: David Bragger's FolkWorks article |