Eric Thompson took up the guitar as a teenager in Palo Alto, California in the early 1960's. Among his earliest bands were the Black Mountain Boys (with Jerry Garcia and David Nelson) and Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. He quickly became nationally known as an exceptional lead flatpicker, winning the World Championship Cup at Union Grove, North Carolina with the New York Ramblers.

Eric writes guitar instructional materials and has written instructional columns for Flatpicking Guitar and Acoustic Guitar magazines. He also gives mandolin and guitar lessons in Berkeley, California. He is married to Susie Rothfield also known as Suzy Thompson.