Tom Rush love / interview added 12/21

[Mr. Paul]

EDIT DECEMBER 21:
We now have the interview with Tom available to stream. It's two part, about 15 minutes each.

He plays "Child's Song" in our studio in Part II, starting at 12:20

Part I https://soundcloud.com/user-314630438/tom-rush-1

Part II https://soundcloud.com/user-314630438/tom-rush-2

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Tom did a backyard house concert in our town on Monday. Nothing short of remarkable. I've been a fan since The Circle Game record and have been playing Voices, his newest one, non stop for months. Love Tom Rush!

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On Tuesday morning he visited our local radio station for an interview. He played Child's Song in the studio and it was one of my peak musical experiences. Stunning. Soon I'll have a link for the interview including the performance of this very special song.



Photo of Tom with some local dweeb. I think someone may have cracked a hair joke.

[BrunoBlack]

That sounds like a great night. Tom was a local boy who played in my area many moons ago. I like Tom a lot. After one show about 40 years ago he was selling albums and I figured I would support the artist. I went over to Tom and chatted it up a bit. When he was about to sign my album I said, my name is Paul. He turned to me and said — I haven’t lost my memory with a laugh. Then without missing a beat he asked — how’s Leslie? (Leslie is my wife.) Then I was confused. Anyway we had a very funny conversation before we realized he had confused me with another Paul and Leslie that he (apparently kinda) knew. Very strange coincidence.

Great pictures — except for that last one

[RP]

What a great venue and great opportunity to enjoy this classic singer/songwriter...

[The Bard Rocks]

Tom is a wonderful entertainer. To my way of thinking, he is far better live than recorded. He's very good recorded, but the live show....

[KevWind]

I have been a fan ever since this song hit the airwaves

[boldtone]

Still have the CD of what I think is his first album. Cover art is Tom's picture with a purple background. No title. 'Driving Wheel' is the first cut. Was a fan from the start. Like Tom my hair is gray. Been around a while.

[capefisherman]

Tom is one of a dying breed, the acoustic guitarist/singer who KNOWS how to entertain via engagement with his audiences. Funny, smart, dry, and his timing is impeccable. No, he never was what you'd call a great singer or knock-your-socks-off guitar player but his honesty and sincerity transcend those things. Younger players who never say a word to their audiences could learn a lot from him in terms of how to get your audience on your side from the get-go. He is a classic, long may he continue to show us what being a single performer with a guitar is all about. Back at the 1969 Newport Folk Festival is was so fortunate to attend the singer/songwriter workshop one afternoon. On the small stage were James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne - and Tom. While the other three were amazing from a musical standpoint, Tom held the audience in the palm of his hand as the four of them took turns trading songs. For most of us in those days, it was Tom Rush who introduced us to those people, and others like Jesse Winchester.

[zombywoof]

Coincidentally I just picked up a copy of his 1974 release Ladies Love Outlaws in a thrift shop in NM condition for $1. All the tunes are covers other than his second take on No Regrets (I like the earlier one much better). Until I stumbled upon the LP though I had not even thought about him for probably 30 years.

[elmcmeen]

When I was at Harvard in the mid-1960's, he was my hero - a Harvard grad who was entertaining and a folk icon. He still is!
El

[Al Acuff]

Nice photos! Been a Tom Rush fan since dinosaurs roamed the earth. I remember seeing Tom and Trevor at The Mainpoint in Bynn Mawr, Pennsylvainia in the sixties. He was great back then and he just keeps getting better. 'Trolling For Owls' is a priceless collection of songs and humor. Highly recommended!

[tippy5]

Thanks for the warm photo's. Very well received here. Classic troubadour.

[donlyn]

Love the photos.

Been a Tom Rush fan since the 60s when he was playing the Club 47 in Cambridge and other venues about town.

Maybe his first recorded record was "Tom Rush at the Unicorn", but I think it may have been released before/about-same-time as a record for Prestige Folkways or some such label. Tom Rush became a local sensation after an out-take / demo from Elektra album "Take a little walk with me" became a staple on Dick Summers Sunday folk music show on WBZ radio. The song was "Urge For Going", done with his just his own guitar accompaniment. Elektra eventually released this as a single. Pretty sure that was about the time he did a concert at Boston's Symphony Hall which I believe was promoted by Club 47. Had great seats for that one.

That purple album was on his 4th label, Columbia, and was after about 6 previous albums. Don't think he has ever done a 'bad' album. Or bad performance.

edit > For the record the 'Unicorn Coffee House' was a basement dive on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay.

Still a fan.

Don
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[gfspencer]

Wow! That is so cool. I love Tom Rush. He was one of the first singers that I tried to imitate.

[FrankHudson]

Listened to him for a long time too. His "Take a Little Walk With Me" LP was a touchstone for me.

Looking at the pictures of that guitar he's playing above I can see an ad listing: "has some pick scratches near the soundhole...."

[ctgagnon]

In my neck of the woods at the time THE tune to learn and play was Rockport Sunday. Open tuning and harmonics really impressed the ladies.