Danny Thompson, the legendary acoustic bass player and founding member of British folk-rock band Pentangle, died peacefully on September 23, 2025, at his home in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. He was 86 years old.
Thompson’s management announced his passing in a statement describing him as a musician who was both beloved and admired by everyone he worked with. His body of work was noted as unparalleled in its quality and the incredibly varied number of musicians he collaborated with throughout his career.
Born in Teignmouth, Devon, on April 4, 1939, Thompson began his musical journey at age 13 by building his own bass from a tea chest. By 16, he was playing his first professional gig at a club in Soho. His early career included performing in strip clubs and working the American airbase circuit after leaving school and home at 15.
Thompson’s career took a significant turn when he was arrested for failing to report for national service at age 18. Three days before being sent to Winchester barracks, he married his girlfriend, Daphne Davis. He was then posted to Penang, Malaysia, for two years, where he played trombone for the army band and became involved with the local music scene against military orders.
Returning to England in 1963, Thompson joined a tour backing American singer Roy Orbison, playing electric bass for the only time in his career. The tour was notably supported by The Beatles as they launched into Beatlemania. In 1964, he purchased his acoustic bass “Victoria” for five pounds, which he used throughout his entire career.
Thompson joined Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated in 1964, where he worked alongside future stars including Ginger Baker, Charlie Watts, Eric Clapton, and Brian Jones. This experience led to collaborations with jazz musicians John McLaughlin and Tubby Hayes, as well as folk artists like Davey Graham.
In 1967, Thompson co-founded Pentangle with drummer Terry Cox, guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, and vocalist Jacqui McShee. The band’s debut concert at the Royal Festival Hall in 1967 was a huge success, followed by their acclaimed debut album “The Pentangle” in 1968. Their 1969 album “Basket of Light” achieved even greater commercial success, reaching the top five in the UK album charts and featuring the hit single “Light Flight,” which served as the theme for BBC TV drama “Take Three Girls.”
After Pentangle split in 1972, Thompson concentrated on session work rather than joining another group. Record producer Joe Boyd paired him with Nick Drake for the album “Five Leaves Left” in 1969 and with John Martyn for “Solid Air” in 1973. Thompson and Martyn became kindred spirits and close collaborators, though both struggled with alcoholism during their extensive touring together.
Thompson’s session work was remarkably diverse. He played on the theme music for the TV series “Thunderbirds” in 1964 and worked with artists ranging from Cliff Richard to Everything But the Girl. In the mid-1980s, after sobering up in the late 1970s, he found renewed demand for his services, working with David Sylvian, Kate Bush, Talk Talk, and Graham Coxon.
Kate Bush paid tribute to Thompson, describing him and his double bass Victoria as fascinating storytellers who were “earthy and of the wild.” Bush noted, “Danny was the sweetest, dearest man and a real character.”
Thompson released his debut solo album “Whatever” in 1987, leading a jazz trio. He continued releasing low-key solo jazz albums over the next quarter century while maintaining prolific collaborative work. He recorded 14 albums with Richard Thompson and performed at Richard’s 75th birthday concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2024.
Beyond music, Thompson established Hero Productions to create TV documentaries after embracing sobriety. His 1983 wildlife film “A Passion to Protect” won a Hugo award at the Chicago film festival. He converted to Islam in 1990, taking the Muslim name Hamza, and presented the documentary “The Furthest Mosque” in 2000.
Thompson underwent major heart surgery in 1998, during which he suffered a stroke. Three months after the operation, he organized an all-star charity concert in Sarajevo and continued performing until health issues forced him to reduce his activities several years ago.
Thompson is survived by his wife Sylvia, whom he married in 1990, and his son Danny Jr. His first marriage to Daphne Davis ended in divorce in the late 1970s.
