Thompson grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Astoria seven-and-a-half years ago. It was as a student in PA that his interest in singing began to develop.
“I started singing in junior high and fell in love with it,” he said, adding that he was “fortunate to have a great choir teacher who made singing school.”
After realizing he was “quite good” at singing, Thompson eventually started taking voice lessons and even started appearing in school plays. He said that he fell in love with being on the stage and performing.
“One thing led to another and [I] couldn’t get enough of it,” said Thompson, who studied musical theater at Pennsylvania State University.
Although Thompson had written song lyrics while in a high school band, he did not start writing music until after college. Seeing someone sing a “lonesome country folk tune with a punk rock attitude” influenced Thompson to write his first song.
After that, when he was about 25 years old, Thompson said he decided it was time to learn an instrument and started with guitar. He now also plays the harmonica.
Thompson came out with his first full-length album, “The Hunting and the Hope,” in the summer of 2007. His second, “Yankee Twang,” is set to be released on June 10.
The new album has 10 original songs. Thompson said that “Yankee Twang” has “a direction more in pure country roots,” adding that he didn’t know if that was a conscious decision. Although the first album was honest, Thompson said that the second is more so.
“Everything is a little closer to the bone on this record,” he said.
Thompson said that the inspiration from his songs comes from a variety of places, including the music he listens to and what’s going on in life around him. He said that it’s “a mixed bag” and that it can be anywhere from humorous to tragic.
A mixologist and bartender, Thompson used his skills to create a cocktail companion list to compliment his upcoming album release. He said he thought “it would be cool if each song had its own cocktail.” Some of the cocktails are “Sweet Texas Waltz,” “Blue NYC” and “Lucky Mistake.”
“It was kind of a fit of inspiration,” Thompson said of the creations.
A release party will be held for “Yankee Twang” on Thursday, June 17 at the Rockwood Music Hall from 8 to 10 p.m.
Thompson said that right now his “primary focus is on signing and performing my music.”
“I would like to be able to find a way to make that what I do for a living,” he said.
However, he is also a trained actor and said that it remains “a great passion” of his. Thompson has been in some “fun side projects” and said he does acting when opportunities come up.
For more information on Thompson and upcoming performance, visit www.baldjoey.com.
