Artist: Chester Thompson

Chester Cortez Thompson is an American drummer best known for his tenures with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention,  Weather Report,  Santana, Genesis  and Phil Collins as a solo artist.

In 1973, Thompson auditioned to join Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention and won the position. He was a friend of their tour manager, Marty Perellis, also of Baltimore, and landed an audition in Los Angeles after learning of Zappa's wish to use two drummers in his group. Thompson recalled the audition involved him jamming with the band for a solid hour without a break. "We just drifted in and out of so many different kinds of feels and grooves." His time in Zappa's band was challenging because of the leader's "incredibly difficult music" which involved as much as 40 hours of weekly practice for four to six weeks before a tour. Thompson played on several Zappa albums, including Roxy & Elsewhere (1974), One Size Fits All  (1975), Studio Tan (1978), Sleep Dirt (1978), and You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (1988). 

In 1975, Thompson met Weather Report bassist Alphonso Johnson, who suggested he jam with the band as they sought a new drummer, following the departure of Leon "Ndugu" Chancler. Despite Thompson not wanting to audition, the group had considered Woody Theus but they chose Thompson for the spot. Thompson recalled his time in the band as a "major knock out" because he was a big fan.

After leaving Weather Report, Thompson played recording sessions in Los Angeles as well as part of the San Francisco Broadway theatre production of The Wiz. He was recommended for the gig by his friend Roy McCurdy, and it was there where he met his future wife who had parts in the musical. He also toured as a member of the live band for The Pointer Sisters, and rehearsed with Santana after they expressed an interest in having Thompson join the band. 

Shortly after rehearsals with Santana began, Genesis drummer and singer Phil Collins invited Thompson to join the band as their touring drummer, replacing  Bill Bruford who wished to move on after one tour. Collins wanted an American drummer for the spot, and heard Thompson's playing on Roxy & Elsewhere which featured Thompson playing in tandem with drummer Ralph Humphrey. Thompson had heard of Genesis's music from Johnson, and agreed to join the band for rehearsals in late 1976 for their upcoming tour supporting  Wind & Wuthering (1976). He recalled: "The first day of rehearsal, we just started jamming as everybody was setting up gear, we were just going for it". Thompson looked back on his time joining Genesis as "the biggest adjustment I've ever had to make, musically and culturally. 

Thompson performed with Genesis on every tour between 1977 and 1992, and once more for their Turn It On Again: The Tour in 2007. He is featured on the live albums Seconds Out (1977), Three Sides Live (1982), The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts (1992), The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs (1993), and Live over Europe 2007 (2007).