Bill Thompson (talent manager)

{{Infobox person | name = Bill Thompson | image = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [[brackets]] --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = June 22, 1944 | birth_place = [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|01|12|1944|06|22}} <!-- birth date approx, he was 70 when he died --> | death_place = [[Mill Valley, California]] | other_names = | occupation = talent manager | years_active = | known_for = managing [[Jefferson Airplane]] and related bands and performers | notable_works = }} '''William Carl Thompson''' (June 22, 1944 - January 12, 2015) was an American [[talent manager]], most notable for managing the bands [[Hot Tuna]], [[Jefferson Airplane]], [[Jefferson Starship]], and [[Starship (band)|Starship]], as well as the careers of their individual performers such as [[Grace Slick]].<ref name=ucr>{{cite web|last1=Gallucci|first1=Michael|title=Bill Thompson, Jefferson Airplane Manager, Dies at 70|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bill-thompson-dies/|website=ultimateclassicrock.com/|access-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402022233/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bill-thompson-dies/|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=jab>{{cite web|title=Jefferson Airplane: The Official Website » Bill Thompson|url=http://www.jeffersonairplane.com/the-band/bill-thompson/|website=www.jeffersonairplane.com/|access-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219130920/http://www.jeffersonairplane.com/the-band/bill-thompson/|archive-date=19 February 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=rel>{{cite web|last1=Tamarkin|first1=Jeff|title=Bill Thompson, Manager of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna, Dies at 70|url=http://www.relix.com/news/detail/bill_thompson_manager_of_jefferson_airplane_jefferson_starship_and_hot_tuna_dies_at_70|website=www.relix.com/|publisher=[[Relix]]|access-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403110534/http://www.relix.com/news/detail/bill_thompson_manager_of_jefferson_airplane_jefferson_starship_and_hot_tuna_dies_at_70|archive-date=3 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Biography== Thompson was born in [[Oklahoma City]] on June 22, 1944,<ref name=rel/> and attended high school and college in [[San Francisco]], where he also worked as a copy boy for the [[San Francisco Chronicle]].<ref name=rel/> His roommate was [[Marty Balin]], a founding member of [[Jefferson Airplane]]. Thompson initially served as the band's [[press agent]], and eventually became their manager.<ref name=ucr/>

Thompson also managed other artists, such as [[Neal Schon]], and served as a consultant to [[Polygram Records]].<ref name=ucr/>

He died of a heart attack at his home in [[Mill Valley, California]], on January 12, 2015, at the age of 70.<ref name=rel/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Bill}} [[Category:American music managers]] [[Category:1944 births]] [[Category:2015 deaths]]