The ever-busy Richard Thompson [ tickets ] has lined up a slate of concert appearances bridging May and June as the British singer/songwriter continues to support his latest studio album, last year's "Front Parlour Ballads."

The singer is also supporting February's release of "RT - The Life and Music of Richard Thompson," a five-disc box set that provides yet another overview of Thompson's long performing career.

On the May dates only of his upcoming tour--which kicks off May 8 in Portland, OR--Thompson will be performing his "1000 Years of Popular Music" song arc, accompanied by Judith Owens on vocals and Debra Dobkin on percussion.

The piece, which literally attempts to provide an abbreviated overview of the last thousand years of popular music, was captured on a 2003 CD of the same name and a DVD set for release in April. Footage for the DVD was shot at Thompson's February San Francisco appearance.

"The idea for this project came from Playboy Magazine," Thompson wrote in a message posted his website, explaining the thought process behind the idea. "I was asked to submit a list, in late 1999, of the ten greatest songs of the Millenium. Hah! I thought, hypocrites--they don't mean millennium, they mean twenty years--I'll call their bluff and do a real thousand-year selection."

For the remainder of Thompson's outing, the singer will perform standard solo acoustic sets, sharing the bill for two nights in Colorado with singer Aimee Mann [ tickets ], and for a June 19 co-billing with Sengalese multi-instrumentalist Baaba Maal in San Diego.

"Front Parlour Ballads," which hit stores last August, is Thompson's first solo-acoustic effort since 1981's "Strict Tempo!" It follows 2003's "The Old Kit Bag," recorded with a full band.