Press Kit

Information for publicists and advertisers of my shows.
(See also: Press)

Scroll down for publicity photos and posters.

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Brief #1:
“Tom Smith’s songs reach back to timeless themes of love and loss and joy and bear witness to what is happening now with a rich mix of wry humor and well-earned wisdom.” – Fred Civian, Dedham School of Music

Brief #2:

“Tom Smith is a well-traveled singer/songwriter veteran who brings a rich and deep portfolio of well-crafted songs delivered in fine, tastefully understated fashion and with a dry wit guaranteed to put a smile on any face.” – Boulder Coffeehouse

Brief #3:

Tom Smith is an award-winning performer and songwriter, applying his old-school folk tradition to timeless stories of people’s wants, needs, struggles and triumphs. In the words of WUMB Boston folk radio host Dave Palmater, “Tom Smith writes songs that seem like they’ve always been there – a true folksinger.”

Brief #4: (fanciful)
“If you could combine the DNA of Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie with that of Robert Frost and Kermit the Frog you would end up with someone very much like Tom Smith.” – a fan

Brief #5:

“Contrary to what a lot of people think, folk music is still a living tradition. It’s a living tradition that feeds on new songs that speak of people’s wants, people’s needs, people’s struggles and people’s triumphs. Tom Smith is more out of the tradition of say Pete Seeger and Tom Paxton than Jackson Browne or Connor Oberst. He’s a man who writes songs that seem like they’ve always been there. There are very few songwriters working today that I would call folksingers, but I would call Tom Smith a true folksinger.”
– Dave Palmater, WUMB-FM Boston

Brief #6:

Tom Smith’s songs are in turns humorous, touching, thought provoking, and inspiring. Deeply rooted in the old-school folk tradition, his timeless stories are told with a voice that is honest and sincere with melodies that you will remember forever. In the words of noted singer/songwriter Barbara Kessler, “Tom Smith will make you laugh and cry (maybe even in the same song) – a very captivating songwriter and performer.” Tom grew up in rural Pennsylvania in a family where music was part of the fabric of everyday life. As a young man living at the epicenter of the folk-quake that was Cambridge, MA in the 1960’s, Tom solidified what has become a life-long love of self-made music. Now a folk veteran of over forty years, Tom performs at festivals, coffeehouses, schools, and concerts throughout the Northeastern United States to audiences large and small, young and old. Tom’s monthly folk music blog, “The Kitchen Musician” can be viewed at TomSmithMusic.com.

Quotes

“Tom Smith writes songs that seem like they’ve always been there. – a true folksinger.” – Dave Palmater, WUMB-FM Boston Folk Radio

“When Tom Smith performs, he’s got a special kind of quiet magic that is both moving and transfixing.” – Susan Cattaneo, Performing songwriter, Berklee College of Music songwriting faculty

“… a very intimate and beautiful and inspiring performance. Tom Smith has a gift of giving voice, giving hope and giving uplift to listeners”. – Cheryl Perreault, Poet and host of “Wake Up and Smell the Poetry, HCAM-TV

“Tom Smith won over the crowd with his quiet, classic folk style.” – The Boston Globe

“Tom Smith will make you laugh and cry (maybe even in the same song.) A very captivating songwriter and performer.” – Barbara Kessler, performing songwriter

“Tom Smith is among the finest there is in New England Today.” – The Nameless Coffeehouse, Cambridge, MA

“What a breath of fresh air!” – Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute

“Tom Smith is a songwriter’s songwriter, a story teller through stage banter and song with a genuine sincerity and love for what he does that shines through in every lyric, every chord and every spoken word. His instrumental style and delivery are spot on and Tom always leaves the crowd better for being there.” – Tom Bianchi, Musician and venue host, The Burren, Somerville, MA

Recordings

Tom’s studio recordings can be found at his Bandcamp store.

Collaboration

Available to accompany Tom’s performances is Seth Connelly on backup vocal, guitar, mandolin, bass and other instruments as needed. Seth is a legend in New England folk circles, with over thirty years of professional experience performing solo, and in several bands, in addition to recording and producing a large number of recording projects for nationally known artists.

Tom’s Family Shows

Tom Smith brings back a time that is nearly forgotten – a time before electronic gadgetry and over-processed music – a time before children’s music was a marketing segment – a time when ordinary folks shared music face-to-face over the kitchen table or in front of the fireplace. Tom Smith’s family shows are in the old-school style of Pete Seeger, combining classic folk songs with feel-good originals. Bring the entire family. You will leave with a bagful of songs that you forgot you knew.

Music Groups

From time to time, Tom performs with the following music groups.

The Chanticleers

Ellen Schmidt writes “The Chanticleers are a group of friends who make joyful kitchen-music. Irish ballads sit next to banjo tunes, and whistle jigs keep company with new songs that sound like old songs.” The group includes Linda Abrams, Kate Chadbourne, Bob Phillips, Pat Kenneally, Oen Kennedy, and Tom Smith – including vocals, guitar, banjo, whistles, Irish flute, harp, piano, bodhran, and spoons.

The Rounders

The Rounders are a loose knit group of friends who perform folk music and spoken word in round-robin format. Composed of Chris Pahud, Tom Smith, Cheryl Perreault and Steve Rapson, their music ranges from traditional folk to well chosen covers and originals. Cheryl brings her own special brand of spoken word, ably accompanied by Steve Rapson. Each of these folks have active solo careers that take them throughout New England, and together their shows are always a joyful reunion of friends.