Josh Thompson
Apr 26, 2010
Columbia Nashville newcomer Josh Thompson recently reached a vehicular milestone while out on the road. After three years and 175,000 miles traveling around the country in his 2006 Ford E350 Econoline white van, which he fondly called "Van-A-White," the day finally came that Thompson would graduate to his very own tour bus.
While preparing to hit the road next month on Arista/Nashville star Brad Paisley's H20 World Tour, Josh has been playing a series of his own tour dates, since finishing the Jagermeister Country Tour with Capitol/Nashville artist Eric Church in March. Josh's dream of traveling in a comfortable bus came true last week when he set out to his next string of gigs, this time in his own luxurious Prevost XLII tour bus.
As luck would have it, the shiny new bus broke down following a show at the City Limits Saloon in Raleigh, NC. The air compressor, which works the brakes, had died and needed to be towed in for repair. There was not a tour bus replacement immediately available, so the bus company sent a Greyhound charter as an alternative to get them to their next stop. But when they returned to the repair shop to get their gear, they were informed that Josh's bus had been fixed.
Josh, his band and his bus were finally able to get back on the road the next afternoon, but they were late for the show in Rockingham, NC that night. To make matters worse, the air compressor died again after that show. That's when Josh's tour manager put out a call for the company to send a new tour bus. Thankfully, Josh made it to Saturday's show in Farmville, VA on time and without a hitch.
"I spent years in a van, just dreaming of the day I'd get in a bus," Josh said. "Then I did and it broke down - twice. I was late for the first show in my life because of it. All in all it doesn't really surprise me. But the van never broke down!"
For more information on Josh Thompson, check out www.joshthompsonofficial.com.
By: Mary Lynne O'Neal