Tom T. Hall passed ... :-(

I fear that not many here will know who Tom T. Hall was. The man was an American treasure. He was a singer/songwriter who was a big part of my childhood. I loved his music even when I was a little squirt.



Most of his songs told a story. He was one of those songwriters who could tell an entire life story in three or four verses and a refrain. I'll post a few of those below. The called him "The Storyteller."

Many of his songs will likely never be sung again after his passing, and it's sad. His work is a slice of American life that is easily forgotten because it seems so quotidian, but it's about real life, real people, real experiences. I perform a few of his songs, but I'm going to learn more.

I could ramble on, but I'll just embed a few of his songs below and hope that maybe one or two people may discover (or even better, re-discover) his amazing body of work.

This one is from the end of a tribute night and he performs one of his most famous songs, telling the story of how it came to be.


This song gets you at the end.


Here's a poignant one. I can see the old fellows standing around talking and the whole thing unfolding.


This one has two songs that tell sad stories (I'd say "poignant" again, but I already used that word) that may or may not be about anyone person, but that are about all of us on some level.


Another one about regular life ...


Here's a playlist, if you want to follow up. I hope you do.
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Damn my Dad(RIP) really liked him a lot.

RIP Tom T Hall

originally posted by: putnam6
Damn my Dad(RIP) really liked him a lot.

RIP Tom T Hall

He's a big part of the soundtrack of my life back in the seventies. I was a just a little fart (born in '64). Had several 8-track tapes of his music.

Godspeed Tom, you will be missed....

Love this kind of music! Thank you for posting. What a gent. What a shame
That's my listening sorted for the evening.
Rainbows
Jane

originally posted by: angelchemuel
Love this kind of music! Thank you for posting. What a gent. What a shame

That's my listening sorted for the evening.
Rainbows
Jane

Then making this post was entirely worth it! If you spend the evening listening to one-hundred of his songs, it's going to be like reading a hundred biographical novellas.

Had you heard of Tom T. before? Or is he new to you?
:

LOVE that genre of music. My cuz had two cats named Willy and Waylon. My Brit wife hates it, but I often have that music blasting in my man shed.

I got to check out how old he was.
NVM , that would remind me how white my hair is .
I have seen Tom T. Hall on The Grand Old Opry
At first run .

originally posted by: Gothmog
I got to check out how old he was.
NVM , that would remind me how white my hair is .
I have seen Tom T. Hall on The Grand Old Opry
At first run .

Live?

He was on my short list of performers I have wanted to see before I or they died, but it didn't happen.

Don Williams was another that I missed. Almost had the chance up in Georgia once, but my wife didn't want to and I let her have her way.

a reply to: incoserv
No, I hadn't heard of him before.
Thank you again.
Rainbows
Jane

I was going to post a few of my favs by him on here, but there's so many I wouldn't know where to start. I dont think there's a song by him I dont like.

I love little baby ducks, old pick-up trucks, slow-moving trains, and rain.
I love little country streams, sleep without dreams, Sunday school in May, and hay.
And I love you too

I love leaves in the wind, pictures of my friends, birds of the world, and squirrels.
I love coffee in a cup, little fuzzy pups, old TV shows, and snow.
And I love you too.

I love honest open smiles, kisses from a child, tomatoes on the vine, and onions.
I love winners when they cry, losers when they try, music when it's good, and life.
And I love you too

originally posted by: caterpillage
I was going to post a few of my favs by him on here, but there's so many I wouldn't know where to start. I dont think there's a song by him I dont like.

No doubt! Otis Gibbs recently posted at Tom T. related video and asked in the description for folks to list their favorite Tom T. song. I said it'd be easier to pick a favorite child.

Every one has a special place in my life.

When I was a kid, we had Country Songs for Children (on 8-track tape, no less) and I have a specific memory of sitting in my grandmother's dining room and listening to Sneaky Snake with my brother.

I remember how I laughed at the end the first time I heard Ballad of Forty Dollars. I think that for me that song was the one that nailed his place as a true singer/songwriter/storyteller in my mind. Maybe that'd kind of be my favorite, but ... Then there's ... just name one.

a reply to: incoserv

Sneaky Snake will drink all your beer!

I dont get very emotional about celebrities dieing, but in this case I'm pretty teared up. It's like an old friend died.

And last month on the 20th! How did I not hear about it? 85 though, he lived a great life.

Way back when.....

I used to be a niteclub disc jockey (imagine that) and since Mondays and Tuesday were always slow (regardless of region), Management would scratch their heads for ideas on how to build up the slow days.

I suggested we go the opposite of the normal music spectrum. Have the wait-staff dress up in jeans, cowboy-hat and a cowboy shirt, Bring in a riding electrical bull and see what happens. Oh.. and yes.. because it was my idea I of course led the way as I "cowboy'd up". I had a glorious rhinestone jacket that could've doubled as a Highway warning flasher-lite.

So... now that I've set the scene...

I had already done some heavy marketing with the other NiteClubs in town ('cause Mondays/Tuesdays are the least active days regardless of the club's format). So on the first Monday night I had a line going out the door full of all the employees from everywhere that didn't work the slow shifts.

We filled the club and my first tune was Tom T Hall's song "I Like Beer". I had a bouncing ball on the 4 big screens that was following the lyrics and the whole place was singing along with Tom.

It turned out to be so successful that Management told me to always start the nite off with that song. We did the Western/Cowboy adventure for three years (a extremely long run for any promotion). We had Coor's, Budweiser and a number of other beverage suppliers begging to be a part of our Monday/Tuesday promotion's.

This is that first song that started our night off... and everyone would sing along... those were fun times.



And thats my story of how a Poet/Storyteller and singer named Tom T Hall saved Mondays and Tuesdays (well at least at my Club I was working for)

Very sad news.
All my grandparents would always have country music on when we visited them. To this day, I don't think much about most "new" country, as I compare it all to the likes of Tom T Hall, Buck Owens (whom my one grandfather actually looked like, and could play a banjo & mandolin as well), Boxcar Willie, ect.

I always wanted to hear the "I love" song, because it mentioned ducks, and grandpa would always play it.

originally posted by: incoserv

originally posted by: Gothmog
I got to check out how old he was.
NVM , that would remind me how white my hair is .
I have seen Tom T. Hall on The Grand Old Opry
At first run .

Live?

He was on my short list of performers I have wanted to see before I or they died, but it didn't happen.

Don Williams was another that I missed. Almost had the chance up in Georgia once, but my wife didn't want to and I let her have her way.

Unfortunately , no.
It aired on TV .
My dad missed the time , or the entire family would have made it there .

Very sad to hear about his passing. I know he influenced many songwriters and may have influence a songwriter that I know.

When my youngest son was still a baby, I would sing "I Love" to him every night and when he was cranky.

Thanks for the music and for all of the stories, Tom.

Damn, I never heard of this old boy but I’ll tell ya now, hog farmer left me tearing.
I’m going to listen to more Tom T and book mark that link!!
Thank You, so very much for this....Thank You!

a reply to: incoserv