Lee Thompson:
Western Music’s Best Friend
By Voleta Hummel
Western Music’s Best Friend
Lee Thompson was a salesman. Yes, he sold automobiles
and RVs for a living, but more importantly he
worked very hard to sell western music and western
music performers everywhere he went. No one was ever
surprised to see him at concerts as far away as California
or Branson, Missouri, and they always expected to see
him in shows near his Arizona home.
He served on the Board of the Western Music Association,
was a longtime Tombstone Western Music Festival
Board member, a SASS member (a.k.a Singing Sandy),
and an emcee extraordinaire. Several years ago Esther
Dollarhide, current president of the Tombstone Festival
Board, said, “I realize just how lucky we are to have Lee
Thompson as our emcee!” In an article I wrote after the
2005 Tombstone festival I said that Lee would be my
nominee for TOP emcee of contemporary western music
shows.
Lee never shortchanged a performer with his introductions.
He worked tirelessly to uncover as much information
about a performer as possible and then would
ensure that the audience understood just what a marvelous
act they were privileged to experience.
When ever you saw Lee you knew you were being met
by an honest, unselfish friend who was genuinely happy
to see you. He was always welcoming new fans and
performers into his circle of friends and once he met
them, never forgot their names.
Lee Thompson is one of my heroes and one of the best
friends western music has ever had.










