Hayden Thompson has been played on NTS shows including Kit Grill, with "16.88" first played on 14 April 2020.

Thompson made his recording debut with "I Feel the Blues Coming On" on the Von label in 1954. He signed with Sun in 1956 and recorded the Junior Parker song "Love My Baby" with support from Billy Riley's band and Jerry Lee Lewis. Held back for several months, the single failed to become a hit when it was finally released in 1957; none of his other Sun recordings yielded a hit either. Disappointed by his lack of success, Thompson moved to Chicago in 1958 and recorded…