WATERVILLE — A solo acoustic concert by Richard Thompson is set for 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St. The opening act will be Jason Spooner.

Since co-founding Fairport Convention in 1967, Thompson has had a decorated career in music. He’s received an OBE and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the BBC, the Ivor Novellos and Nashville’s Americana awards.

He was Nick Drake’s guitarist on Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter. Everyone from Robert Plant, Don Henley and Elvis Costello to REM, Christy Moore and David Bryne have covered his music.
Thompson began his recording career with Fairport Convention in 1967 before leaving in 1971. His first solo record Henry The Human Fly came out the next year, with a woman called Linda Peters appearing on vocals.

She was soon Linda Thompson and together the Thompsons released six albums between 1974 and 1982. The first, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight,” was not critically acclaimed on its release but has since come to be considered a masterpiece.

Spooner has a visible and respected presence on the northeastern and national live music circuits for close to two decades, Spooner performs both solo and as the bandleader of The Jason Spooner Band. This tireless troubadour has expanded his musical horizons significantly over the course of six studio releases.

His songwriting has been celebrated as a unique strength for its combination of vibrant imagery and explorations of complex human psychology while also maintaining an undertone of poetic mystery.

This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

Tickets cost $43-$53.

For tickets, or more information, visit operahouse.org.

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