Tom Gillam
First of All
© 1998 Tom Gillam (634479689376) (format: CD-R)
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A blazing slide guitar, a whiskey tenor voice with just the right amount of rasp, striking lyrics and some of the strongest hooks you’ve heard in years
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Tom Gillam died March 20, 2006, returning from a string of dates in Texas and in the middle of recording his fourth LP. He’s doing fine, thank you. There’s a reason his new album is called Never Look Back.
He suffered two of three heart attacks on the table in the ER of Virtua Hospital in deepest New Jersey. They were operating to clear his totally blocked aorta the third time; two percent of the men in their 30s and 40s survive similar attacks. Occasionally it pays to be in the minority.
None of which means his new album is filled with maudlin songs revealing his new appreciation of life and deep spirituality. (Those are private matters.) Like 2005’s breakthrough Shake My Hand — 14 weeks on the Americana radio top 10, peaking at #4 — for which he received a “Best Emerging Artist” nomination from the Americana Music Association — Never Look Back is a thoroughly entertaining and highly literate burst of classic songwriter-driven rock.
After a short recuperation, Gillam returned to the studio (yes, clean and sober; or at least regularly washed) with his long-time band Tractor Pull and producer Joe Carroll to finish Never Look Back. The new album is both an extension of Shake My Hand and a step beyond its promises. “I wanted to make a record that was a bit deeper lyrically than my last few, but at the same time still entertaining on a purely emotional level,” Gillam says.
His knack for a strong hook blends the edgier side of Americana with muscular ’70s-style guitar rock. Gillam’s vision is facilitated throughout by his crack band, some of whom he’s played with since high school, all of whom play with effortless and intuitive commitment. Tractor Pull (Craig Simon on guitar; Tim McMaster on bass; Dave Latimer on drums; and producer Joe Carroll on acoustic and baritone guitars) are the perfect vehicle for Gillam’s songwriting voice and slide guitar, gliding effortlessly between straight-ahead rock, moody ballads, and simple acoustic numbers.
Echoing the past thirty years of rock history (much of which, to his shame and credit, Gillam has lived), these eleven new songs maintain a fresh and unique sound. Their topics reflect Gillam’s broad interests, from love to love lost, from addiction to current affairs and religion (there is a difference).
The song Gillam himself seems most attached to, just now, is “Where Is Bobby Gentry,” a tune inspired by the mysterious ’60s country pop songstress who penned “Ode To Billy Joe.” As Tom tells it, “I found a copy of her first LP in a used vinyl store. After I took it home and listened to it, I was flooded with memories of my childhood and quite taken with her songwriting and singing style. After a while I tried to find out what happened to her after the hits, but found very little info past the late ’70s. The actual song I wrote very quickly; it seemed to write itself. We recorded it maybe a day later.” The song is performed to subtle perfection by Gillam & Co., augmented by a haunting string arrangement conducted by jazz pianist Dave Falciani.
The title track, one of two contributions from guitarist Craig Simon, sums it up best: “with no regrets, no debts to pay, there’s nothing standing in my way.” Or, as Tom Gillam puts it, “Honestly, I’d be doing this even if nobody was listening. It’s just what I do.”
Let’s hope someone is listening.
Career at a glance:
- 1998 releases First of All. Light regional touring. Hired as pre show opener for Garth Brooks, Tom Petty, Shania Twain, Dave Matthews, Bruce Spingsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
-2001 releases Dallas to stellar reviews
-Dallas breaks top 30 of The AMA Radio chart. Makes first US tour. Plays shows with Wilco,Son Volt, the Yayhoos, Tift Merrit, Old '97's, Slaid Cleaves,Radney Foster etc.
-Performs live on WSM Opryland Spotlight Program.
-Appears on Michael Nesmith Tribute record "A Loose Salute" covers The Girl I Knew Somewhere.
-Performs Live on Billy Blocks Western Beat 5 times, live from Nashville TN.
-11/04 releases Shake My Hand
-Tours US in support .
-Appears on Capt. Beefheart Tribute CD "Mama Kangaroos" Tractor Pull appears as backing band for Mia Johnson doing a cover of "Crazy Little Thing"
-Makes 3 appearances during SXSW for the second year in a row.
-Plays shows with Ray Wylie Hubbard, Joe Ely, Hayes Carll, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, Jim Lauderdale, The Lost Trailers, Dave Insley, David Olney, Grayson Capps, Jeff and Vida, Joseph Parson, Ben Arnold, David Allan Coe, Jack Ingram, Walt Wilkins, Micky and the Motorcars, Cory Morrow, Reckless Kelly, Bill Kirchen, Michelle Shocked, 2 Tons of Steel etc.
-Appears on final Stargazer Lilly CD and final performance from World Cafe Live in Phila.
-"Shake My Hand" receives over 20 positive magazine and internet reviews, with stellar reviews from No Depression and The Friday Morning Quarterback.
-"Outside The Lines", the first single from "Shake My Hand", appears in an episode of CMT's reality tv series- "The Ride"
-Spends 20 weeks in the top 20 of The AMA Radio airplay chart, peaking at #4 for 5 weeks. Averaged over 400 spins per week for 20 weeks.
-Reaches #1 on Root Music Report's Roots/Country chart, besting veterans Willie Nelson and Allison Krauss
-Reaches #2 on Roots Music Reports Overall top 100
-Hits #5 on the Euro Americana charts.
-Appears on "Fins, Chrome and the Open Road-A Tribute to the Cadillac" Tom writes an original song entitled "Ride"
-Spends over 5 weeks at the #4 position on XM Satellite Radio's Cross Country Chart. Performs 1 hour live on Jesse Scott's Cross Country Program.
-Appears live across the US on various radio programs, including XM, KNBT and The Living Room Series.
-Appears at KNBT Radios Americana Jam and Music and Wine Fest from Gruene Hall, New Braunfels Texas. Benefitting St Judes Ranch for Children.
-Break top 70 of the AAA radio charts.
-Nominated as Best New/Emerging Artist by The AMA. Also nominated, Mary Gauthier, Hayes Carll, The Duhks, and Martha Wainright.
-Presenter at AMA Awards and Honors Show from The Ryman Auditorium. Taped for Broadcast on GAC. Show is covered by GAC, BBC2, XM and Sirius Satellite Radio and CMT.
-Showcases during AMA Conference in Nashville TN. Plays 3 Shows during the Conference.
-Tours Germany, Netherlands, Denmark and France with Joseph Parsons for entire month of October 2005. Appears on the famous "Rockpalast" TV show.
-"Shake My Hand" finishes #28 in Top 100 of The Americana Music Associations Radio Spin list, with 6300 spins. The results were tabulated from 11/28/04-11/29/05. To date "Shake My Hand" has over 11,000 spins nationwide.
-12/28/06 Begins preproduction on new cd for 2006.
-12/31/05 Plays Gruene Hall & Saengerhalle In New Braunfels Texas w/ Cross Canadien Ragweed, Two Tons of Steel,Wadw Bowen
-2/1/06 Begins recording @ Treehouse Studios w/Producer Joe Carroll
-3/15/06 Makes several appearances @ 2006 SXSW Festival, including "Roots,Branches w/ Ray Wylie Hubbard on KNBT Radio.
-3/21/06 Suffers 3 Heart Attacks in between flights from Austin to France
-5/13/06 Makes his Amazing comeback at a benefit to help with medical expenses
-5/15/06 Heads out on the road, w/ his band Tractor Pull for a 2 week run of the south.With shows in North Carolina, Texas and Nashvile
-5/21/06 Makes 2nd appearance @ KNBT'S "Americana Jam" @ Gruene Hall. Shares the bill w/Joe Ely,Marty Stuart,Buddy Miller,Radney Foster,Robert Earl Keen etc.
-6/1/06 Heads back to Studio for mixing sessions.
-6/18/06 Finishes adding tracks to the upcoming Joseph Parsons Project "The Fleury Sessions" on Blue Rose in Germany
-7/15/06 Finishes up overdubs for upcoming 4 Way Street CD. Replaces the departed Jim Boggia.
-7/31/06 Finishes mixing upcoming release.
-9/20/06 Plays at The Americana Music/No Depression Party Showcase with glimmering reviews(@ Mercy Lounge in Nashville TN.)
10/2/06 Heads to germany for 6 week tour supporting Joseph Parsons.