Teddy Thompson was born in 1976 in a London Sufi commune to folk rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson, both major musical figures in the English folk rock scene from the 1960s onward.

He moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career,[1] which included work as a singer and guitar player in his father Richard's band during the 1990s.

Us?, the live album Celtschmerz (1998) and Mock Tudor (1999), as well as singing a duet on the track "Persuasion", which appeared on Richard's best-of compilation Action Packed (1999).

He can be seen performing in his father's band on a number of internet videos from as early as 1993, including an appearance on Jools Holland's show.

He coaxed his mother out of retirement and co-produced her first album in 17 years, titled Fashionably Late.