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Bio

Brad's musical roots started at an early age. At home both of his parents were avid music fans and musicians themselves. Brad's earliest memories are of his dad playing Luther Perkin's guitar parts off of Johnny Cash's albums. He'd sit on the arm of the couch and play his Fender Mustang through a Fender Twin. Brad's mom, an accomplished vocalist and pianist, had picked up the classical guitar when Brad was about 12 years old. When the guitar didn't work out for her she gave it to Brad and he started taking private lessons. Having three years of piano lessons under his belt already he soon excelled at the guitar and the bond had begun. By the age of 18 Brad had enrolled in the University of North Texas' music program to study classical guitar and voice. He had developed a close relationship with singer/lyricist Eddie Allen and within two years of entering college they had both dropped out in order to pursue music full time. The two continued to write and perform together for five years. They were well recieved at clubs such as The Hop in Fort Worth, Poor David's Pub in Dallas, Kerrville Folk Festival and other venues that were havens for budding young songwriters. In '92 the partnership was dissolved and Brad began a solo career.

Brad Thompson & The Undulating Band was formed later that year as a vehicle for Brad’s original music that he had been writing since his split with Eddie.  His songwriting and performing soon began showing the influences of solo guitarists such as Michael Hedges and rock bands such as Toad the Wet Sprocket and Counting Crows.  He patterned the formation of the band after artists such as Lyle Lovett and Jeff Buckley who put their music in the capable hands of the finest musicians and the end result - great music regardless of what style or category with which you try to define it.
When asked about the bizarre/lengthy name for his band, Brad recalls a radio interview he heard long ago with original Van Halen lead singer, David Lee Roth, just before taking the stage in front of hundreds of thousands of fans at the famous US Festival in California.  In Roth’s typical pre-show banter he says something about "Giving the crowd their fifty bucks-worth tonight on a silver platter man..." then he pauses and says "...and it'll be undulating."  You could hear the interviewer and everyone backstage just fall about the place laughing it was so hilarious.  Brad says, "As campy and ridiculous as Roth was, he was very serious about entertaining people. I had to use that word undulating, plus it adds balance to an otherwise ordinary sounding name."


Testimony

"You guys are like gods to me."
Mark Davis
WBAP 820 AM / Dallas, TX
"Brad Thompson whirls, dances, delicately beating the shit out of his guitar. He spews out beautiful webs of energy and soul and pit crew, The Undulating Band, are with him every step of the way."
Kim Corbet
KERA 90.1FM / Dallas, TX
"I hereby declare this trio ‘The band favored to represent the U.S. Olympic Team in Sydney, Australia in 2000’.
Their show attracted a diverse crowd, Missourians attended shoulder to shoulder with navy blue metropolitan business types, and rural chicks, the Barnes & Noble clan, goddesses from Gold’s Gym, the bands’ contemporaries, a few zombies, some hippies and beatniks."
Thom Anderson
DFW Source
"In celebration of its second anniversary, The Alligator Lounge is throwing a little party tonight. Actually, little is probably a poor choice of words for the bash which will include two local bands and one nationally touring act. In to the wee hours of the night headliner Brad Thompson & the Undulating Band will jam stage. This band is known for packing houses at home in Fort Worth, TX with their original, acoustic jam style."
Marc Angelo
The Daily News / Breckenridge, CO
"Sounds of Texas will trickle through the streets of Springfield this weekend. Brad Thompson & the Undulating Band start it off tonight bringing their acoustic-based rock from Dallas to the Bar Next Door. To say that Thompson performs personal songs would be cliché in a time where every songwriter yearns for the label "introspective". What makes him stand out is the quiet intensity he brings to those songs. More than the typical whiner of the 90’s, Thompson sings with a spirited style and deep conviction. Thompson also has a strong voice and music that adds a modern flavor to that rich Texas blend of country blues."
Ron Sylvester
News Leader / Springfield, MO
"The evolution of Fort Worth’s Brad Thompson & The Undulating Band can best be appreciated in their new CD 9,000,000 beats per minute. There is no mystery why the new CD is doing so well where the band has a reputation of amazing performances and great Texas pop music."
Patricio Crooker
MTV.com
"They're a Fort Worth-based band that has proven themselves over and over again as a force to be noticed . Their pop sensibilities and musical talent are truly world class. Clean, well-defined production, honest songwriting, soaring harmonies and magnificent musicianship all come together to make 9,000,000 beats per minute a winner."
Abby Goldstein
Program Dir.
KERA 90.1 FM / Dallas, TX
"In case you didn’t catch them when they opened for Robin Trower at Manhattans this past Sunday Brad Thompson & The Undulating Band have returned, and second chances in this town are rare. So take advantage of this one. Be on hand to bump, grind, groove and ring in the day we told the British to take their mis-erable cuisine back to their festering island with his acoustic groove trio. This is definitely one group of Texans we welcome back to town."
      
Suzanne Becker
       The Independent / Colorado Springs CO
"Brad Thompson is liquid music, heart and soul; a must see!
Paula McElheney
462 Concerts, Inc. / Dallas, TX

"I am pleased at your CDs in which were enclosed the three CDs and an extra two song's CD. I feel that the song under the title "Natalie" is expressive of keen affection. Regarding the "Amazing", it has cool lick at solo part of your guitar. I like it very much as same as "Mr. Madison". I saw your band at Dallas music festival in '95, and feel excellent cooperativeness at each members of your band. If I have a chance to go to Texas again, I will check your band's schedule. Furthermore, I wrote my request into bulletin board system on the FUJI Rock Festival. Because. I want to let it be known that nice play of your band to Japanese audience. I hope to see your play in the very near future."
       
Josei Kondo
       Ryugasaki, Japan


Where have we played?

Aardvark Fort Worth, TX  Alligator Lounge Breckenridge, CO  Anderson Fair Houston, TX  Bar Next Door Springfield, MO  Bluebird Cafe Nashville, TN Brothers Norman, OK  Cane’s San Diego, CA  Caravan of Dreams Fort Worth, TX Club Fred Fresno, CA Club Dada Dallas, TX  Coffee House on The Corner Charlottesville, VA  Common Ground New Orleans, LA  The Dock Jackson, MS  Depot Beer Garden, Lubbock, TX  Double Diamond Aspen, CO Dan’s Bar Denton, TX  Duke University Durham, NC  Eddie’s Attic Atlanta, GA  Fly Me to the Moon Telluride, CO  Flo & Eddie's Starkville, MS  Flying Saucer Nashville, TN  Grey Eagle Black Mountain, NC  Gypsy Tea Room Dallas, TX  Herman’s Hideaway Denver, CO  Hometown Festival Mansfield, TX Jack’s Sugar Shack Los Angeles, CA  LaSalles Chico, CA  Last Day Saloon San Francisco, CA  Little Bear Evergreen, CO  Main St. Arts Festival Fort Worth, TX  Molly Malone’s Los Angeles, CA  MoMo's Austin, TX Navy Pier Chicago, IL Newby’s Memphis, TN  Nick's Boulder, CO  'Ol Waterin' Hole Kerrville, TX  Pi Lambda Phi University of Texas, Austin, TX  Poor David's Pub Dallas, TX  Principia College St. Louis, MO  Presbyterian College Clinton, SC Proud Larry’s Oxford, MS  Rabb's Ruston, LA Railroad Blues Bar Alpine, TX  Rhodes College Memphis, TN  Satellite Lounge Houston, TX  Scruffy Murphy's Waco, TX  Steamboat Austin, TX  Steel Penny Pub San Angelo, TX  Taste of Dallas Dallas, TX  Tulane University New Orleans, LA Tugboat Steamboat Springs, CO  University of Texas Arlington, TX  University of North Texas Denton, TX  FIBARK Festival Victoria Tavern Salida, CO  Wildflower! Art & Music Fest City of Richardson, TX  Woody's Stillwater, OK