Linda Thompson Celebrates Folk Music As A Family Affair On “Those Damn Roches,” With Lead Vocals By Her Son Teddy Thompson

British Folk-Rock Icon Makes A Rare Return To New York City For U.S. Album Release Event At City Winery On June 30th 

June 4, 2024: Linda Thompson has shared “Those Damn Roches,” a brilliantly humorous and playful new track celebrating the great families of folk music. The final advance track off Proxy Music - Thompson’s first album in over a decade (out June 21) - “Those Damn Roches” namechecks a group of esteemed singing and songwriting clans like the McGarrigle-Wainwrights, the Waterson-Carthys, The Copper Family, and of course the legendary sister group in the song's title. Fittingly the song features Teddy Thompson - Linda’s son - on vocals, highlighting the collaborative nature of the project as she taps on close family, friends, and peers to bring this record to life. “Those women are catchy,” Thompson notes of The Roches. “I do so love all the musical families and this is supposed to be a paean of praise.”

Watch the video for “Those Damn Roches” here: https://youtu.be/KRKKxzjVNTo 

Pre-order Proxy Music, out June 21 on StorySound, here: https://ffm.to/proxymusic

Despite vocal limitations caused by a rare condition known as spasmodic dysphonia, Thompson demonstrates her gift as a “sharp, witty and occasionally heartbreaking lyricist” (The Guardian). The 11 track collection finds many members of Thompson’s musical community bringing voice to her original songs - including Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Eliza Carthy, The Proclaimers, Dori Freeman and John Grant. Playing alongside them are many talented Thompsons, including Linda’s daughter Kami, her son Teddy and her grandson Zak Hobbs - plus Richard Thompson, who contributes backing vocals to “Those Damn Roches.”

Thompson will celebrate the release of Proxy Music with a special show at City Winery in New York on June 30th, with performances from collaborators Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright, and John Grant, along with friends Jill Sobule, Tammy Faye Starlite and Syd Straw. Proxy Music was recently named one of New York Magazine’s “Albums We Can't Wait To Hear This Summer” - and the album’s "proxy" theme extends seamlessly to its artwork, where Linda Thompson dons the iconic outfit from Roxy Music's debut cover - showcasing not only her musical depth and poignant compositions, but also her often-overlooked sense of humor.

Proxy Music Track Listing:

1. The Solitary Traveller - Kami Thompson

2. Or Nothing at All - Martha Wainwright

3. Bonnie Lass - The Proclaimers

4. Darling This Will Never Do - Rufus Wainwright

5. I Used To Be So Pretty - Ren Harvieu

6. John Grant - John Grant

7. Mudlark - The Rails

8. Shores of America - Dori Freeman

9. That’s the Way the Polka Goes - Eliza Carthy

10. Three Shaky Ships - The Unthanks

11. Those Damn Roches - Teddy Thompson