Music Performance,
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- Biography Tom first picked up a guitar in 1957, playing the music of Burl Ives, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul and Mary and the Limelighters. He’s been playing ever since: solo, duos/trios, and large bands. From small gatherings, to concerts, to hosting shared mic nights, his playing has included years of small song-circles, musical leadership at retreats of 10 to 600, and venues from coffee houses in D.C. to Denver; in Seattle from Clinkerdagger, Bickerstaff & Pett’s to The Grovsnor House; from Horatio’s and the Red Baron to being the opener of Shucker’s Bar & Grill during the Grand Re-opening of the Olympic Four Seasons; to the Northwest Folklife Festival. His musical odyssey has led him through road houses, taverns, bars, clubs, stages and halls all over Puget Sound; on to Spokane, The Ram in Sun Valley, and to Chicago’s Dirty Dan’s Saloon (performing with Steve Goodman); from The 21 Club and J.P.’s in New York City; to Montego Bay, Jamaica, to the Castle Harbour Club in Bermuda. He has sung before a wide variety of audiences including then First-Lady Ladybird Johnson and two Presidents: Richard Nixon and George W. Bush. Tom's was the anchor band celebrating Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday party here in Seattle at the Historic Admiral Theater, donating all proceeds to Northwest Folklife. With the Southbound Odyssey – including musicians he has performed with for more than 30 years – Tom has remerged, still a powerful and masterful performer, anchored in the folk tradition, composing and still singing, leading and sharing the songs of life.
