I’m sure many of you have heard the sad news that the legendary bass player Danny Thompson passed away peacefully at home in Rickmansworth, UK, on Tuesday (23 September 2025). He was 86.
A message on his Instagram page announced his passing, adding:
A musician who was both beloved and admired by everybody he worked with, his body of work is unparalleled in its quality and also in the incredibly varied number of musicians he worked with.
From Kate Bush and John Martyn, to his role as a founding member of the legendary band Pentangle; from featuring on the Thunderbirds theme tune, and playing bass for Roy Orbison when The Beatles were still the opening act; to collaborations with jazz greats like Tubby Hayes and Stan Tracey, as well as work with Donovan, June Tabor, Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, and The Blind Boys of Alabama.Danny was a force of nature. A player who served the song and who enriched the lives of every single person he met. He will be sorely missed.
He is survived by his wife Sylvia and his son Dan Junior.
For a figure whose influence was so vast, it is sometimes better to let the music do the talking. Our playlist below (after a couple of videos) is by no means exhaustive. In his own words, “I’m not playing for the audience…I’m playing because I enjoy it”, and that always came across:
Playlist
Enjoy our tribute playlist, which, although spanning six decades, still only scratches the surface of Thompson’s genius, warmth, charisma and brilliance.
Listen on Apple Music | Tidal | Spotify
Danny Thompson: 4 April 1939 – 23 September 2025