"Thao and The Get Down Stay Down" are a San Francisco, California-based ...
Falls Church, Virginia) alternative folk rock music group. It consists of Thao Nguyen (vocals, guitar), and Adam Thompson (vocals, bass guitar, keyboards). Frank Stewart (lead guitar, production) and Willis Thompson (drums) are former members of the band.
Nguyen met drummer Willis Thompson while studying for her degrees in Sociology and Women's Studies at The College of William and Mary. Willis Thompson was a member of Camp Tigerclaw, Acousticore, and Murphy's Kids. He is also a contributing member to the band The Light Footwork. Thao Nguyen and Willis Thompson met Adam Thompson (no relation) during a show at the Harrison Street Coffee Shop in Richmond, Virginia. Frank Stewart, member of the bands Durian and Verbal, would produce the first full-length album Like the Linen in 2005 and join the band as a lead guitarist.
The band's track "When We Swam" is the opening theme for Australian prime-time TV series Offspring (which premiered in Australia in August 2010).
The band also composed and performed the soundtrack for the 2011 film, American Teacher.