Singer-songwriter and guitar wizard Richard Thompson has announced his latest album, Ship to Shore, is due out May 31 on New West Records. To coinicde with the announcement Thompson has released the album’s lead single “Singapore Sadie” today. The music icon and songwriting legend is slated to hit the road in North America and the U.K. this year.
The upcoming album features 12 songs and was self-produced by Thompson. Ship to Shore follows his critically acclaimed 2018 studio album 13 Rivers and his 2021 memoir Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975 .

Thompson got his start in the 1960s as part of the influential folk rock group Fairport Convention before earning more critical acclaim for his 1970s duo project with then-wife Linda Thompson. Once the duo project fizzled he embarked on a solo career and that has been his singular focus for more than three decades. To date his songs have been covered by the likes of Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, REM, Sleater-Kinney, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Jones, David Byrne, Don Henley, Los Lobos and countless others. Thompson is also noted for providing the soundtrack for Werner Herzog’s critically acclaimed film Grizzly Man.

Thompson has said that the music on Ship to Shore will be a mix of Scottish music, Irish music, jazz, country, classical and more. Ship to Shore was recorded in Woodstock, NY with Thompson’s longtime band: guitarist Bobby Eichorn, bassist Taras Prodaniuk and drummer Michael Jerome. Additional album credits include harmony vocalist Zara Phillips, fiddle player David Mansfield and engineer Chris Bittner. Thompson has noted the team worked quickly in making the album, it took roughly a week to track the entire album, vocals included.

On releasing “Singapore Sadie” as lead single, Thompson added: “I have been playing this live ovre the past year or so and it has become a favorite. We recorded it quickly in two or three takes and David Mansfield is featured on
the fiddle.”

Thompson’s tour dates can be found below.

03/01/24 – Mamaroneck, NY – The Emelin Theatre *
03/02/24 – Beacon, NY – The Towne Crier Cafe *
03/15/24 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate *
03/16/24 – Fall River, MA – Narrows Center for the Arts *
03/17/24 – Northampton, MA – Back Porch Festival *
03/21/24 – Fairfield,CT – Sacred Heart University Community Theater *
03/22/24 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall *
03/23/24 – Burlington, VT – First Unitarian Church *
03/24/24 – Shirley, MA – The Bull Run *
04/04/24 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Music Hall *
04/05/24 – Gloucester, MA – The Cut *
04/06/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *
04/07/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *
04/09/24 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head Tavern *
04/10/24 – Richmond, VA – Tin Pan *
04/11/24 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap *
04/12/24 – Collingswood, NJ – The Scottish Rite *
05/25/24 – Cambridge, England, UK – Corn Exchange #
05/26/24 – Bristol, UK – Beacon #
05/27/24 – York, UK – Barbican #
05/29/24 – Glasgow, UK – Royal Concert Hall #
05/30/24 – Gateshead, UK – Glasshouse #
05/31/24 – Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios at Manchester Factory International #
06/01/24 – Stoke-on-Trent, UK – Victoria Hall #
06/03/24 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall #
06/04/24 – Cardiff, UK – New Theatre #
06/05/24 – Portsmouth, UK – Guildhall #
06/06/24 – Brighton and Hove, UK – Dome Concert Hall #
06/08/24 – London,UK – Royal Albert Hall #
07/28/24 – Cape May, NJ – Cape May Convention Hall #
10/18/24 – New York, NY – The Town Hall #
08/23/25- 08/30/25 – Venice, Italy – Harmony Voyages- Gems of the Adriatic Cruise

* Solo Show
#Full Band