44 Facts About Chester Thompson

Chester Cortez Thompson was born on December 11,1948 and is an American drummer best known for his tenures with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Weather Report, Santana, the progressive rock band Genesis and Phil Collins as a solo artist.

Chester Thompson has an older brother, who played in the drum corps.

At eleven, Chester Thompson took up the drums, receiving lessons from James Harrison, a professional jazz drummer from whom he learned his rudiments.

Chester Thompson practiced by playing along with albums by jazz musicians Miles Davis, Max Roach and Art Blakey.

Chester Thompson's practice focused on mastering drumming rudiments using a book published by the National Association of Rudimental Drummers.

Chester Thompson started to play his first live gigs two years later in local venues.

Still underage, Chester Thompson went as far as to draw a moustache on his upper lip using an eyebrow pencil "because the club owners were worried about me playing there".

Chester Thompson played as many as three jam sessions a week.

In 1971, Chester Thompson returned to Baltimore and studied music at the Community College of Baltimore County for two years, where he learned the flute and coached a basketball team at the Rec Center.

Chester Thompson played as part of the house band in a club that supported visiting soul artists.

Since the early 1970s, Chester Thompson has played with the jazz rock band Air Pocket, a band with the Fowler Brothers at its core.

In 1973, shortly before Chester Thompson was to start a four-year course at another music school, he had auditioned to join Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention and won the position.

Chester Thompson was a friend of their tour manager, Marty Perellis, of Baltimore, and landed an audition in Los Angeles after learning of Zappa's wish to use two drummers in his group.

Chester Thompson recalled the audition involved him jamming with the band for a solid hour without a break.

In 1975, Chester Thompson left Zappa after he had cancelled an upcoming Australian tour.

Chester Thompson recalled his time in the band as a "major knock out" because he was a big fan.

Chester Thompson was recommended for the gig by his friend Roy McCurdy, and it was there where he met his future wife who had parts in the musical.

Chester Thompson toured as a member of the live band for The Pointer Sisters, and rehearsed with Santana after they expressed an interest in having Thompson join the band.

Shortly after rehearsals with Santana began, Genesis drummer and singer Phil Collins invited Chester Thompson to join the band as their touring drummer, replacing Bill Bruford who wished to move on after one tour.

Chester Thompson recalled: "The first day of rehearsal, we just started jamming as everybody was setting up gear, we were just going for it".

Chester Thompson performed with Genesis on every tour between 1977 and 1992, and once more for their Turn It On Again: The Tour in 2007.

Chester Thompson is featured on the live albums Seconds Out, Three Sides Live, The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts, The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs, and Live over Europe 2007.

However, since Collins had left the band, Chester Thompson wanted to become a full-time member and not continue as a side man.

Chester Thompson is featured on the live release Serious Hits.

In 1986, Chester Thompson played the drums on "The Next Time I Fall".

In 1988, Chester Thompson was invited to play for what turned out to be Zappa's final concert tour before his death.

Chester Thompson declined the offer as by this time, he had become a devout Christian and Zappa's anti-religious sentiments and lyrics conflicted with his beliefs.

In 1989, Chester Thompson worked as the drummer for Bee Gees for their One for All World Tour in support for One.

Chester Thompson was a founding member of the band Fire Merchants with Brand X guitarist John Goodsall and bassist Doug Lunn and appeared on their first eponymous recording in 1989.

Chester Thompson continued to work with other members of Genesis on their solo projects.

Chester Thompson plays on the Steve Hackett albums, Please Don't Touch and Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited.

Chester Thompson appears on Steve Hackett's live album The Tokyo Tapes released in 1998 which features John Wetton, Ian McDonald and Julian Colbeck.

Chester Thompson has since played on sessions for various artists in the area, mainly in jazz, pop, and Christian music.

Chester Thompson was unsure of playing on all of the tracks as initially discussed, and said "we both thought it would be too weird to do the whole album with both of us being sort of ex-Genesis people".

In 2001, Chester Thompson toured Korea with singer and worship leader Ron Kenoly.

In January 2002, Chester Thompson performed at the debut charity gig by Collins's Little Dreams Foundation.

Chester Thompson has taught drums at Belmont University in Nashville since 1998, and has taken classes at the university in composition and arranging.

Chester Thompson is an adjunct instructor at its school of music.

In 2008, Chester Thompson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 32nd Percussive Arts Society International Convention.

Chester Thompson said that he had not spoken to Collins since.

In 2021, Chester Thompson said that he no longer teaches drumming at a university, but continues giving private lessons to pupils at a school.

Chester Thompson has endorsed Ludwig Drums, Pearl Drums, Sonor Drums and Paiste cymbals ; he has endorsed DW Drums since 2000 and Sabian cymbals since 1990.

Chester Thompson uses Remo drumheads, Meinl Percussion, Gibraltar racks and has his own Regaltip Chester Thompson signature drumstick.

Chester Thompson married his wife whom he first met during his time playing in The Wiz in 1976.