Richard Thompson (born January 16, 1951) – I Want You With Me (1978)

The B.T. Express guitarist and co-lead vocalist co-wrote this slamming disco-funk cut with saxophonist Bill Risbrook for their fifth album Shout! (Shout It Out).

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Richard “Rick” Thompson is one of the founding members of B.T. Express and their longtime co-lead vocalist and guitarist. See our earlier post on their other original co-lead vocalist Barbara Joyce Lomas for more on the group’s musical history.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Richard McAlvin Thompson first played guitar and sang lead with a Brooklyn group called the King Davis House Rockers. They released one single on Verve Records in 1967, the upbeat “Baby You Satisfy Me” b/w the heartfelt love song “We All Make Mistakes Sometimes,” both featuring Thompson on guitar and vocals, who was credited as “Richard Thomas.”

“We All Make Mistakes Sometimes” was re-issued two years later in 1969 on Columbia Records with the superb jam “What Do I Have To Do” on the flip. It was the only record Thompson ever released under his own name, and original copies today sell for $100 on average on Discogs.

In the early seventies, Thompson and House Rocker saxophonists Bill Risbrook and Carlos Ward formed the Madison Street Express with bassist Louis Risbrook (Bill’s brother), percussionist Dennis Rowe, drummer Terrell Wood, and singer Barbara Joyce Lomas, which evolved into B.T. Express.

The first track Thompson co-wrote for the group (along with all its other members) was their theme song, “Express,” which went to #1 R&B in the fall of 1974. It was included on their debut album Do It ('Til You're Satisfied), which came out that November.

Thompson wrote one of the group’s all-time greatest songs for their second album Non-Stop, released in 1975. The super funky, socially conscious closing cut “Whatcha Think About That?” was produced by Jeff Lane with strings arranged by Randy Muller.

For their fifth LP Shout! (Shout It Out) (1978), Thompson and Bill Risbrook co-wrote the slamming disco-funk cut “I Want You With Me.” By this point, co-lead vocalist Barbara Joyce Lomas had left the group. Bill’s brother Louis (aka Jamal Rasool), had taken over co-lead vocals alongside Thompson. Coincidentally, Bill Risbrook just celebrated his own birthday two days ago, born January 14, 1955.

In 1980, Columbia Records released a Greatest Hits record by the group that also contained three new tracks. Thompson and Bill Risbrook co-wrote one of them, the disco-funk jam “Midnight Beat” which was the album’s closing cut.

The group’s final LP before disbanding in the late eighties was Keep It Up, released in 1982. Thompson and both Risbrook brothers co-wrote the upbeat, very funky title track along with Dennis Rowe and songwriter Jesse Mathis. Released as a single with edited and extended 12” versions, it failed to chart, although the album itself hit #49 R&B.

Happy 73rd Birthday to the great Richard Thompson.

#soul #funk #disco #BTExpress #BillRisbrook #RichardThompson