RJ Thompson Covers Bob Dylan’s ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’
Geordie singer-songwriter RJ Thompson has unveiled his cover of Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin. This is undoubtedly a brave cover, with rumbling drums and Thompson’s anthemic vocal building the track to a glorious crescendo. Motivational music at its finest.



RJ said,
Truth be told I’ve battled with this song for years, never truly understanding the exact tone it was trying to set. At the time it was an anthem for change, but even Dylan allegedly admitted that he didn’t truly know its meaning. It found its relevance naturally due the timing of its release, but along with so many early Dylan songs, it is as relevant today as it was back in the 60s.

RJ Thompson grew up on a varied musical diet that included The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen. After using an old, battered red drum kit as his only musical outlet, he was inspired to pick up a guitar and write his first song after a U2 concert at the Manchester Evening News Arena. From there, the obsession grew to performing at any venue that would take a chance on him. One night, in a small club venue in Hartlepool, all the effort paid off. A sound engineer at an open mic night turned out to be working with ‘Live Aid’ organiser Midge Ure. He then submitted RJ as a support act, which led to another 30 shows touring with Midge around the UK and Europe. This, in turn, led to shows with Gabrielle Aplin, Sandi Thom, Deacon Blue, and most recently Jools Holland.

RJ is now looking forward to a 2017 that includes a string of singles and a new album in the autumn.