Michael William Thompson

Michael William Thompson was born in Los Angeles, California, and spent most of his childhood and teen years in Barstow, California, where he began studying the trumpet at the age of thirteen. His love for music quickly turned into a lifelong passion. While still a teenager, he started playing the trumpet professionally, performing with such entertainment legends as Bob Hope, The Beach Boys, Trini Lopez, Donald O’Connor, Debby Boone, Buffalo Springfield, Diana Ross, Lou Rawls, Art DePew & The KFI Orchestra, The Ink Spots, Freda Payne, and the Lawrence Welk Stars.

Mike’s trumpeting talents led him to appear on musical recordings by the Righteous Brothers, Lou Rawls, Diana Ross, and the Chris Davis Orchestra, and play in the orchestras for several Broadway productions, including My Fair Lady, Bye Bye Birdie, The Music Man, Man of La Mancha, and Die Fledermaus.

With fellow trumpet player Warren Roche, Mike established the Roche Thomas Company in 1967, selling specialized blends of valve oils. After Roche Thomas sold in 1990, Mike retained 25 percent ownership for the next twenty years, directing all overseas marketing. Up until his death, Mike continued with the company as a distributor for the entire line of Roche Thomas brass instrument care products. For the past 25 years, he traveled worldwide selling Roche Thomas products as well as a variety of other sought-after products to professional and amateur musicians, including Irving Bush brass mouthpieces, Schagerl trumpets, EMO mutes, and La Tromba brass lubricants.

In 1997, Mike formed Swingstreet, an octet jazz band that has performed throughout Southern California. For the past 30 years, Mike performed with the Golden Eagles Jazz Band, based out of Mt. San Jacinto College, and since 2015 he had been an active member of the Loma Linda University Church Sanctuary Brass.

Mike is survived by his wife, Eloise, daughter Marla, and son Jon; five grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held March 22 at the Redlands Seventh-day Adventist Church.