Acclaimed singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson’s forthcoming album Bella is set for release February 1 on Verve Forecast. The album follows 2008’s A Piece of What You Need, which The Guardian declared “one of this year’s best.” Bella is Thompson’s fifth set in a career that has consistently garnered critical praise. NPR proclaims that he’s “the musical equivalent of an arrow to the heart,” while The New York Times calls his work “beautifully finessed.”

Recorded in New York City and produced by David Kahne (The Strokes, Regina Spektor, Paul McCartney), Bella features some of Thompson’s boldest material to date, combining lean rock and roll with lush string arrangements through the album. Thompson began working on the material for Bella after he returned from his last tour; he structured his writing sessions by going to a Manhattan office each day where he developed these songs, honing in as a recording deadline loomed. Using his touring band—Ethan Eubanks (drums), Jeff Hill (bass), Daniel Mintseris (guitar)—Thompson and Kahne cut basic tracks at Avatar in midtown Manhattan, the former site of the legendary Power Station.

Says Thompson, “It was quite old-school recording studio, which there aren’t many of anymore. It felt almost decadent, making an old fashioned record in a big studio. In the first few weeks, when we were going into the big room, I felt like I was really going to make a record as opposed to going into some little room with computer screens, which it so often is these days. We definitely did a lot of that later on. At least in the beginning it was very rock and roll.”

The son of folk legends Richard and Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson formed his first band in his teens. His original tunes and live gigs generated such acclaim that he was soon signed to Virgin Records. By the time Thompson released his self-titled solo debut in 2000, he’d already played in his father’s touring band and contributed guitar and backing vocals to his father’s albums, You? Me? Us? and Mock Tudor. In 2002, Thompson played a key role in drawing his mother out of a 17-year musical retirement to record her landmark disc Fashionably Late, which he played on and co-produced. Thompson also toured as part of Rosanne Cash’s band before signing with Verve. This is his fourth release for the label.

June 6th: Thomond Park Stadium - Limerick, Ireland
June 13th: County Ground Cricket Club - Bristol, England
June 27th: Estadio Do Restelo - Lisbon, Portugal

As the festival season approaches, Teddy will also be appearing at the following festivals in the UK this summer:

June 28th: Glastonbury Festival - Pilton, England
July 11th: Cornbury Festival - Cornbury, England
July 16th: Larmer Tree Festival - Salisbury, England

To read more about Linda’s involvement with the Hector Fund, how you can show your support, and to download “Never the Bride” free of charge, please visit the below link:

http://www.thehectorfund.com/about/linda-thompson/

Amnesty International's new site, Protect the Human has posted backstage photos from Teddy's Christmas show in the UK.  Click on the link to check them out.

Because it's that wonderful time of year, Teddy has released a new exclusive single available only on iTunes, entitled "Christmas", featuring special guests Linda, Richard, and Kamila Thompson. 

A portion of the sales will benefit Amnesty International.  Please support this important cause.  Happy holidays!

Proceeds will be donated to Amnesty International.

Joined by some very special guests, it will be the first time the Thompson Family have performed together in concert, and one of the year's undoubted highlights. The initial artist line-up will feature:

• Teddy Thompson
• Kamilla Thompson
• Linda Thompson
• Eddi Reader
• Bert Jansch
• Badly Drawn Boy
• Kathryn Williams
• Brendan Campbell
• Bob Davenport
• Chris Difford
• Rachel Unthank & The Winterset

Additional guests will be announced leading up to the day of show.

"We aim to put on a beautiful night of music that will benefit those in need all over the world," Teddy said. "Amnesty are a great organization who fight poverty and suffering all year round, protecting individuals wherever justice, fairness, truth and freedom are denied."

His mother Linda added: "Tis the season to sing, dance and give a little to those less fortunate than ourselves."

Tickets to the special evening can be purchased here: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/a-thompson-family-christmas-43782

For more information on Amnesty and its Protect the Human initiative, please visit www.protectthehuman.com, launched to motivate and inspire young people to act for human rights. Their message is simple: "whoever you are, and wherever you are, it has never been more important to stand up for humanity and human rights."

Please show your support. We hope to see you there.

Focusing on global talent, their life experiences, passions, quirks, projects and causes, each channel on t5m.com is designed to reflect the personality of the featured talent, whose favoured charitable cause also receives a channel of its own.   

The live debut of the new channel features a series of intimate and candid moments with Teddy that bring riveting insight into his world.  Teddy speaks about a variety of revealing and intriguing topics, including his life in NY, why he continues to write and record, his dream car, his penchant for all things Dior, and his 'portable infatuation'....

Please click on the link below to visit the channel.

http://www.t5m.com/teddy-thompson/

There will also be an upcoming competition on t5m.com and clips will be continually added to the live channel, so keep your eyes peeled.