Dana Thompson

From Minnewiki

Page contents

1 History
2 Discography
3 Audio Links
4 Awards and Press
5 Related Web sites

History

Just south of the Canadian border is the Minnesota Iron Range. A fiercely cold, hard-scrabble region whose people work long and speak sparingly. Into this still landscape, a girl, seeking sun, craving expression, found it wherever there was music. Dana Thompson sang with family members, performed in community theater, and began composing long before her feet reached the piano pedals. As a teen, she migrated slightly south to Duluth, Minnesota where she discovered jazz, blues and old country. By this time, Dana had picked up the guitar and an intense desire to see the world. She headed off to Europe, busked there for a bit, then headed back to Minnesota - this time to the relatively cosmopolitan Minneapolis. Solo acoustic shows and serious song-writing ensued, and finally an overwhelming thirst to learn the finger-picking styles of the masters. This longing landed Dana in Austin Texas where she studied the ways of Nick Drake and other folk artists, and collaborated with Tawnya Lorae, Abra Moore, and Susan Voelz. Austin, for Dana, was a huge classroom; its brilliant musicians, her mentors. She filled her brain and heart to capacity, then headed back to Minneapolis where she became a founding member of the influential jazz octet The Strawdogs. The Strawdogs released two critically acclaimed records, eventually transitioning into Hothead Fiasco, and releasing another two CD's. But that's only half the story: Dana also needed an outlet for her folk and country passion, hence the formation of Marina Glass (which evolved into The Minor Planets which, in turn, released the record Rotate and Balance in 2000.) Now at last, Dana Thompson graces fans with her first solo project. Her new record, "Ox," is now available.