Career
He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, New New York Chic
This was followed by a long tenure with Chic, where he helped create hits such as "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)," "Le Freak," and "Good Times". Following the temporary disbanding of Chic in 1983, Chic"s former guitarist and bassist, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards became prolific producers, and Thompson"s drumming was much in demand among their clients.
Thompson appeared with numerous artists such as Jody Watley, Madonna (on her 1984 album Like a Virgin), Rod Stewart, Robert Palmer, Adam Ant (on his unreleased Persuasion album), Mick Jagger, and David Bowie (on his 1983 Let"s Dance album and subsequent Serious Moonlight Tour).
Other bands
During a reunion attempt in 1986, Led Zeppelin again asked Thompson to join them as a replacement for John Bonham. The reunion stalled in part because Thompson was in a serious car accident that year and was unable to continue participating.
Thompson went on to join groups such as The Distance and Crown of Thorns with Jean Beauvoir (playing on their first album Crown of Thorns before leaving the band and subsequently replaced by Hawk Lopez). In the mid 1990s he rejoined Power Station for their 1996 reunion album Living in Fear and subsequent tour.
Thompson died within a month of being diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) on November 12, 2003, in Los Los Angeles
His death occurred just three days short of his 49th birthday, and two months after the death of The Power Station bandmate Robert Palmer from a heart attack. On September 19, 2005, Thompson and the rest of the Chic band members were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame.