Tom Rush - Singer-Songwriter

Tom Rush on John Prine: ‘He saw truths that had never occurred to us before’

This letter first appeared April 8, 2020 in the Boston Globe §§

I did not know him well, not as well as I would wish. We worked together on a few occasions, ran into each other at a couple of gatherings. I knew him mainly, as did most of us, through his work, his songs.

He had me from “Angel from Montgomery.” Damn, that song was so strong, so true, it took your breath away. This in spite of the fact that there’s a guy singing, “I am an old woman, named after my mother. . .” It took about a tenth of a second to get over the, “Wait! He’s not an old woman!” bit and get swept away by the power of the story, get drawn into the picture he was painting. (Also, there was the part that it never seemed to even occur to him that he was not, in fact, an old woman, he understood and occupied that character so fully and empathetically.)

And then there were all the other shining gems that made us love him, the sideways, sometimes upside-down takes on life that had us smiling and singing along. Ways of looking at things that were new to the world but were expressed so forcefully and engagingly that you could not turn away — there was no choice in the matter, you had to love him.

No movie-star looks, no soaring tenor or dazzling guitar licks. He didn’t need them. He saw truths that had never occurred to us before, and offered them up in a brand-new, loving way that could not be denied.

Goodbye, John Prine. I am sadder than I have been in a long, long time.

Tom Rush


Tom Rush

 

Tom Performs "Drift Away"

The new album “Voices” is now available

The new album “Voices” is now available on both CD and limited release LP (!!!) in the online store, and at upcoming shows, while stocks last.

The very first copies have now been sent out to all of you who supported the project on PledgeMusic and I’d like to thank all of you who did, especially these folks!

All the best,


Tom Rush

 

 

 

Here are a few teasers off the album:

Elder Green (trad., arr. Tom Rush)

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Tom plays his new song “Voices” for listeners of WBUR Boston.

 

Tom Performs "Lost My Driving Wheel"

WPSU releases full concert recording

WPSU Radio out of Pennsylvania State University has released the recording of a concert performed by Tom on May 15, 2015, at Pennsylvania State Theater.

Mel Deyoung of WPSU writes:

It’s no stretch to call the 76 year old Rush a folk legend, as he maintains a busy performance schedule that continues to bring audiences the warmth and energy for which he is well known.  And of course, his incredible songs!

Read the full story . . .

Tom Rush in session with Matt Nakoa

How I met Matt

In the late Fall of 2014, I had invited a bunch of guest artists to my upcoming holiday show at Boston’s Symphony Hall, and I had a bunch of new songs I wanted them to get to know in case any of them felt like playing or singing along. Read the full story . . .