Biography
In his 36 years as a professional singer/songwriter/performer Tom May has touched thousands of lives with his songs, through his concerts across the U.S. and overseas; with his weekly radio program “River City Folk”, heard on over 200 stations and XM satellite radio; and his work on events that benefit entire communities and states, such as “Winterfolk”. (Portland, Oregon’s largest annual folk music event, which Tom founded and directs; a benefit for “Sister’s of the Road Café” which provides thousands of low cost and no cost meals each week )
Tom has performed in every state in the Union, as well as Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Belgium. His performing venues have included prestigious concert halls, small town auditoriums, and humble coffeehouses. His festival appearances include the Kerrville Folk Festival (Texas); The Napa Valley Folk Festival; Sisters Folk Festival (Oregon) The Juan De Fuca Festival (Port Angeles, Washington) and dozens more.
Tom still performs between 150-200 shows per year, every year.
Tom’s music was chosen to represent Nebraska at the National Arts Council’s annual conference in 1994 and 1995 in South Carolina and Omaha. In September of 1994, Tom headlined a special series of concerts with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, one of the most acclaimed regional orchestras in the U.S. He performed a set of his music with full orchestral accompaniment to capacity crowds and rave reviews. In 1997 and 1998, Tom did a series of concerts throughout Alaska in honor of the Klondike Gold Rush centennial. He also performed at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics with his "Songs of the New and Old West" program.
Tom has toured with and opened for many well known artists, Gordon Lightfoot, Alabama, Willie Nelson, and many others. He currently performs and tours solo or with his acoustic trio, and has released twelve critically acclaimed, widely distributed albums; the most recent, 2008's "Blue Roads, Red Wine", on Waterbug Records out of Chicago.
In addition to his live concert appearances, Tom has appeared on dozens of radio and television programs National Public Radio’s syndicated Mountain Stage; Radio Eirhenn’s (Ireland) Andy O’Mahoney show, and the CBC’s Ian Tyson Show(Television) to name a few.
Tom also produces and hosts his own national radio/TV broadcast, River City Folk. The show is heard weekly on over 160 radio stations and on XM Satellite Radio from Alaska to New York. River City Folk highlights the vitality of the acoustic music scene by featuring diverse performers and styles. The radio version of River City Folk remains one of the premier showcases for acoustic singer/songwriters nationally.
In addition to directing “Winterfolk” in Portland, Tom is also the director of the “North Coast Folk Festival”, in Ocean Shores, Washington. Through the years Tom has directed and consulted for many festivals, including the Festival at the Fort in Omaha, Nebraska and The Lark at the Mountain festival at Mt. Rainier, Washington.
He is author a book for Routledge Publishers of New York, called “Promoting Your Music; The Loving of the Game”. The book features anecdotes and advice from Tom's life in music, as well as interviews with Grodon Lightfoot, Eliza Gilkyson, Harry Manx, and representatives of other aspects of this multi-faceted enterprise.
www.tommayfolk.com
appearances;
Sisters, Oregon Folk Festival mainstage
Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, Nevada
College of Du Page Arts Center, Chicago, Illinois
Coaster Theatre, Cannon Beach, Oregon
Ozarks Folk Festival, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Seattle Folklore Society, Phinney Ridge Center
Seattle, Washington
Civic Auditorium, The Dalles, Oregon
Orpheum Theatre ( with the Omaha Symphony
orchestra accompanying Tom) Omaha, Nebraska
The Alladin Theatre, Portland Oregon
(yearly Winterfolk performance)
Passim, Boston ( many appearances)
and hundreds of others.............................
Instrumentation
Tom May, 12 and 6 string guitar, pennywhistle' lead vocals
depending on size of concert;
Donnie Wright, bass and harmony vocals
Fuzzy Purcell, lead guitar, mandolin, harmony vocals
Peggie Moje, fiddle, harmony vocals
View a retrospective story on Tom, From the program "Oregon Art Beat", in the VIDEO section of this EPK! NEW!
Discography
Tom May National albums/CD's
1. "Blue Roads, Red Wine" 2008 (Waterbug Records, Chicago)
2. “Vested” 2002 (Blue Vignette)
3. “Trace of the Troubador” 2001 (Blue Vignette) live compilation
4. "From the Prairies to the Past” 1999 (Blue Vignette)
5. “River and the Road” 1995 (Folk Era)
6. "Blue Northern” 1991 (Blue Vignette)
7. “Open Spaces, Prairie Winds” 1987 (Blue Vignette)
8. “Coming Home” 1982 (Blue Vignette)
9. “Vignette” 1980 (originally Capitol Records, Canada)
10. “Just Another Night at Kells” 2006 (Blue Vignette)
11. “Winterfolk 10” compilation” 1998 (Producer and performer-Sisters of the Road)
12. “Winterfolk 15” compilation” 2003 (Producer and performer-Sisters of the Road)
Links
| http://www.tommayfolk.com |
| Waterbug Records |
| Tom May website |
| River City Folk |