Bobby Thompson

Bobby Thompson was, without a doubt, one of the best five-string banjo, rhythm guitar and five-string dobro players to ever play as a studio musician in Nashville. He grew up in Spartanburg, SC and taught himself to play banjo as an early teenager by listening to Earl Scruggs on the radio broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry.
When he finished high school, he started playing with Carl Story; after that, he went with Jim and Jesse. While Bobby was with them, he moved up to Nashville. He started getting work on recording sessions, so he quit working for Jim and Jesse and made a living working sessions for over 25 years. He played with just about every artist who came into town to record. He also played on movie soundtracks as well as commercial jingles. As well as playing on Hee Haw for most of its run on television, Bobby was also a member of both of the southern cult bands Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry.