This jazz pianist and composer was born in New York. He came to West Virginia in the 1960s to study music at West Virginia State College (now University) and never left.

He started out playing trumpet but switched to piano in college—and found his true passion. Thompson went on to tour around the world and release many albums.

He’s best known as the pianist on the Mountain Stage radio show and for his holiday show Joy to the World. In 2015, he was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.