Outside of her work as an academic, Thompson also worked as a guitarist and singer-songwriter, releasing four albums, playing with Jorma Kaukonen, and appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show as part of an episode about "women who are changing the definition of middle age".
In addition to her scholarly pursuits, Thompson was also a musician, having released four albums, collaborated with Jorma Kaukonen, and made a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in an episode focused on "female role models pushing the boundaries of traditional middle age".