Tim Hughes talks to singer-songwriter and folk icon Richard Thompson.

AS one of this country’s greatest ever singer-songwriters, and one of the world’s best guitarists, Richard Thompson is used to plaudits.

Over more than 40 years in the music industry, he has taken praise in his stride for his own 19 albums and countless collaborations – including those with his old folk rock band Fairport Convention. Then there was the Ivor Novello for songwriting and the Gibson award for guitar genius.

But his latest recognition has taken him by surprise. It’s an OBE.

Awarded the accolade in the New Year Honours, Richard admits it came completely out of the blue.

“I was amazed,” he says. “And extremely grateful.”

I am speaking to Richard before a rehearsal for his Dream Attic Tour which arrives at Oxford’s New Theatre a week on Sunday.

The tour follows the release of the Dream Attic album, a collection of new songs recorded live in San Francisco.

The tour is the first electric outing for the acoustic legend since his Street Warrior dates in 2007, and sees him joined by a four-piece band.

A native of London’s Notting Hill, Richard, 61, now spends most of his time in California. And looking at the rain outside, I concede that seems like a smart move. “Yes,” he laughs, “but it’s pretty drab over there at the moment too, so I don’t feel too bad.”

And anyway, it’s not like he’s never here. He tours frequently, including regular spots at the Cropredy Festival, the annual gathering near Banbury organised by his old Fairport friends.

“I am over here at least twice, and sometimes five times a year,” he says. “I love California – the lifestyle and being able to spend most of the year outside – but it’s always nice to come back here.”

After taking his first foray into music, playing, bizarrely, in an R&B band with schoolmate Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers, at the age of 18 he joined Fairport. He left in 1971 to concentrate on solo work, going on, famously, to record some of his best-loved material with his then-wife Linda, converting to Sufi Islam and, on separating with Linda, going solo again – though collaborating with everyone from Bonnie Raitt and Loudon Wainwright III, to Crowded House and his son Teddy Thompson.

But his relationship with Fairport, which recorded its best work with Thompson in its line-up, has stayed strong.

“We have always been friends,” he says.

“We are not one of those bands that ended up hating each other. We have kept in touch and worked together over the years – and Cropredy does feel like home.”

Did he imagine, when starting out, that he’d be playing four decades on?

“When you’re 18 and you’re playing in a bedroom, you don’t have a plan,” he says. “At that age you just look at the here and now.

“I thought music was great fun but that in six months’ time I’d have to knuckle down.

“For years I thought it wasn’t a career choice and was just a temporary thing. But my lack of career in the ’60s became a career in the ’70s and ’80s.”

With a vast back catalogue, how does he decide what to play on tour?

“I’m glad to say I’ve never been that successful, which might have changed the expectations of my audiences. They are not coming to hear a nostalgic hit or two; they expect me to keep moving forward, to write new stuff and challenge them.

“It’s a wonderful position to be in.”

“Indeed, the latest album is going down very well,” he laughs, before adding wryly: “In fact, it’s now selling in double figures.”

So what, I wonder, is he most proud of? He pauses thoughtfully.

“A lot of things,” he says. “Though a little voice tells me not to get too proud of anything.

“But it was great to have been in Fairport and achieving what we did – which was reviving the traditional music of this country.”

And does he have a favourite song to play live?

“It’s different every day,” he says. “At the moment I like a song from the new album called If Love Whispers Your Name. It has an unusual chord sequence and is enjoyable to play.

“But you can’t really have a favourite song and be a performer, because if you sang it every night you’d soon get bored!”

* Richard Thompson plays the New Theatre, Oxford, on July 30.

For tickets, which start from £20.25, log on to newtheatreoxford.org.uk or call 0844 8471585 or 8471588