Oliver Thompson is a 26-year-old Michigan based songwriter/composer. He is an accomplished singer and multi-instrumentalist playing piano, bass, drums, and most prominently, guitar. Growing up in a small, Midwestern town, Oliver’s love of music began as early as age 13 when he bought an electric guitar and taught himself how to play. He began writing original music immediately and continued into his twenties when he sought out formal study and achieved a BA in Music Composition. Oliver continued writing and recording rock music throughout college most notably fronting the band, The People, where he infused his classical education and compositional skills into the idiom of a rock band creating a texture and density rarely found in pop music. Highly prolific, since 2003 Oliver has independently released four full length albums, (one solo, three with The People), in addition to recording over four albums of yet unreleased music. “Make a Sound”, “Where Do I Begin”, and “Oliver Thompson” are available on iTunes and CD Baby where they continue to sell impressively. Oliver’s songwriting influences have garnered him comparisons to Elliott Smith, Ryan Adams, and Jack White, with the accomplished guitar work of Prince, Trey Anastasio, or Frank Zappa. Oliver describes his music as “Melodic pop/rock composed under the microscope, yet performed with the reckless abandon of the punk rock I grew up on.” As he looks to the future as a solo artist, Oliver’s musicianship and compositional prowess are invaluable to him as he envisions all the parts and records all but drums himself. In addition to the musical aspect of songwriting, Oliver takes great care with his lyrical choices, letting the listener share in personal laments of love, loss, and the evolution of the human condition without being afraid to tackle issues of politics, activism, and spirituality.
