Richard Enos "Butch" Thompson (November 28, 1943 – August 14, 2022) was an American jazz pianist and clarinetist best known for his ragtime and stride performances. Music career Thompson was born in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, began playing piano at the early age of three, and began taking lessons at age six. At Stillwater Area High School, he played clarinet in the band. In 1962 he joined the Hall Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band in Minneapolis and remained with the band for twenty years. From 1974–1986, he was a regular and the original pianist on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Since the 1960s, he led the Butch Thompson Trio. In the 1970s, Thompson's recordings gained popularity in Europe. He toured the continent extensively in the 1970s and 1980s, both as a solo artist and as a band leader or member. He wrote for jazz publications and produced a radio show, Jazz Originals, for KBEM-FM in Minneapolis. Selected Discography Yulestride (Daring Records, 1994) Death Thompson died on August 14, 2022, at the age of 78. References External links Official site 1943 births 2022 deaths American jazz clarinetists American jazz pianists American male pianists People from Washington County, Minnesota Ragtime pianists Stride pianists 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Minnesota 21st-century American pianists 21st-century clarinetists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians