This is the coloring book-with-CD I mentioned in the recent newsletter. It has received good reviews from the neighborhood tykes and is now all dressed up with a cover picture by one David Jorgenson (who illustrated the Velveteen Rabbit, and many others, and happens to be a neighbor); 16 pages, with each verse on a separate page ready for your budding Picasso (Monet?)
It’s now available online and at shows.
And here’s the song that made it all possible, The Fish Story Song:
Celebrating his 50th year of singing, Tom appeared in a gala show at Symphony Hall, Boston, on December 28th, 2012. The performance featured Jonathan Edwards, Buskin & Batteau, Dom Flemons, Trevor Veitch, Eric Lillequist, Dean Adrien, Joe Mennonna, Marshall Rosenberg, Paul Guzzone and special guest David Bromberg. The performance was streamed live on the web, and was recorded for special DVD/CD 2-disc set, available now in our store.
For the occasion of his 50th, Tom has also re-released two CDs of earlier work, Tom Rush at the Unicorn (1962) and Live at Symphony Hall (Originally released in 2001). The latter contains selections from the album “New Year Live at Symphony Hall”, originally released in 1982, and “Late Night Radio”, released in 1984. Both are available in the online store.
Delivered by Gene Shay for Tom Rush
This is the text of the acceptance speech I asked Gene Shay to deliver for me at the International Folk Alliance conference in Memphis in Mid February, 2010. They gave me the Folk Album of the Year award, but I couldn’t’ be there because it was my daughter’s Winter Break, and I had promises to keep.
For those of you who don’t know, Gene has been the voice of folk on Philadelphia radio for eons, and is the main reason I have an audience there. He has been a good friend for a long time, and I hope he doesn’t harbor any ill feelings. I wrote the sections in brackets to be delivered as Gene “speaking for himself.”
New York, NY. (Top 40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media)
On February 24, 2009, Appleseed Recordings will release Tom Rush’s first full-length studio album in over thirty years, ‘What I Know.’ This album is the newest chapter in his legendary career and features original material and Rush’s interpretations of songs such as “Drift Away.” Rush offers up an inspired fifteen track CD of songs handpicked by the artist and producer Jim Rooney and recorded in Nashville. The album is built upon
Rush’s uncanny ability to deliver emotionally charged narratives and deft performances on a joyous album that features stunning collaborations with Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith and Bonnie Bramlett. ‘What I Know’ opens with Rush’s own “Hot Tonight” – an ode to life’s guilty pleasures best enjoyed long after the sun has set for the day. He incorporates favorite libations (scotch and soda, gin and tonic, margaritas), favorite locations (Boston, LA, New York City and Conshohocken, PA) in his recipe for a good time and declares that he’s “gonna sing and dance ’til the rising sun, have some fun until the police come, it’s gonna get hot tonight.” Standout track “Lonely” is delivered by Rush in an acoustic, bluesy, aching lament to a lost love seasoned with slide guitar and Rhodes piano. The album ends with a wistful re-imagination of Mentor Williams’ “Drift Away.” Translating the classic song into a gentle hymn, Rush’s bittersweet delivery shines on the song’s most famous line: “I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away…” In addition to his contributions to the folk rock music scenes of Boston and New York in the 1960s and being credited with introducing the world to the songs of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne through his interpretations, Rush continues to be instrumental in championing newcomers to the singer-songwriter community via his Club 47 Music Series – which has been host to Alison Krauss, Shawn Colvin and many notable others. Dates are confirmed for a North American tour beginning in January of 2009.
For a complete list of tour dates, click here: http://tomrush.com
First published: 15.12.2008 top40-charts.com
In 1970, Tom was locked up on a trans-Canada private train for a week with the likes of Janis Joplin, the Band, the Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy and more. “Best party I’ve ever been to – hands down”, says Tom. The DVD release “Festival Express“, chronicles this infamous tour, with many classic performances including a full-length video of Tom singing “Child’s Song.”
Note: Sadly this DVD is now out of production.