LEGENDARY bass player Danny Thompson has sadly passed away aged 86.
Danny, a founding member of Brit band Pentangle, died “peacefully” at his home in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday.
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His glittering career saw him work alongside musical royalty, including Kate Bush, John Martyn and Roy Orbison.
Danny famously played the bass guitar for Cliff Richard’s Eurovision song, Congratulations, which finished runner-up at the 1968 contest.
In a touching statement from his management team, the “legendary” bassist was hailed as a “force of nature”.
It read: “A musician who was both beloved and admired by everybody he worked with…
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“… his body of work is unparalleled in its quality and also in the incredibly varied number of musicians he worked with.
“Danny was a force of nature. A player who served the song and who enriched the lives of every single person he met.
“He will be sorely missed.”
The musician is survived by his wife Sylvia and his son Dan Junior.
Danny was born in Teignmouth, Devon on April 4, 1939.
He went on to play his first professional gig at a club in Soho at the age of 16.
In between his musical career, he spent two years in Penang, Malaysia, after being called for his national service.
Characteristically, Danny found his way back to music and played the trombone for the army band.
He returned to the UK in 1963 and went on to play the electric bass with Roy Orbison on a tour that was supported by The Beatles.
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Danny then went on to form the folk-rock band, Pentangle, in 1967.
He was one of the founding members alongside musicians John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Terry Cox and Bert Jansch.
One of the band’s top hits, Basket Of Light, was released in 1969.
At its peak, it reached the top five in the UK albums charts.
Danny left the group a few years later, but he continued to play with various artists.
The bassist featured on the theme tune for the vastly popular British sci-fi series, Thunderbirds.
He later went on to collaborate with jazz musicians Tubby Hayes and Stan Tracey.
Danny also worked with June Tabor, Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
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