Tom Russell (September 2007)

Tom Russell is a native of Los Angeles where he was born in 1950, but now he makes his home on the border of El Paso-Juarez.

Tom graduated from the University of California with a Master's Degree in Criminology, he taught school in Nigeria during the Bi-afran War, after which he relocated to Vancouver in Canada.  Tom has also lived in Spain & Norway & played music at a circus in Puerto Rico.

Tom Russell began his music career in the bars of Vancouver's skid row in the early 1970s.  He later relocated to Texas where he formed a band with singer-pianist Patricia Hardin.  They recorded two albums together, but split in 1979.

In the 1980s, Tom recorded four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band, which featured guitarist Andrew Hardin & accordian maestro Fat Kaplin.  These albums blended elements of folk, country & rock music.

In the 1990s, Tom recorded a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums & he also recorded an acoustic album of cowboy-themed songs.  Tom also saw a version of his song 'Outbound plane' become a Top 10 country hit on Billboard for Suzy Bogguss.

Tom Russell's most significant album of the 1990s is 'The Man from God Know Where'.  Released in 1999, it draws on the music of Norway & Ireland as well as American folk & country music & was recorded in Norway with featured vocalists Iris DeMent, Dolores Keane & Dave von Ronk.

Tom Russell has also seen the release of significant albums such as 'Hotwalker' (Hightone Records) in 2005, the compilation 'Raw Vision: The Tom Russell Band 1984-1994: Vintage Americana' (also 2005) & 'Love and Fear' in 2006.

Tom Russell has also had the distinction of having his unique compositions recorded by artists such as Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith ('St. Olav's Gate' was included on Nanci's 'Last of the True Believers' album for Rounder Records in 1986), Doug Sahm, Joe Ely & Ian Tyson.

Tom Russell is also credited, along with Dave Alvin, with establishing the Americana radio format with their co-produced tribute to Merle Haggard 'Tulare Dust', which was released on Hightone Records in 1994.

Visit Tom Russell's Official Site