Tom T. Hall Tribute (8/22/21)

I spent a good deal of my 23-year radio career working at country stations--both In Toledo and In Wisconsin. In fact, my final gig was during the early days of B-95 and Moose Country in Eau Claire.

Over the years, I developed a deep appreciation for classic country songs and artists. And we lost one of the best this past Friday (8/20/21).

Country Music, Bluegrass and Songwriter's Hall-of-Fame inductee Tom T. Hall passed away at the age of 85. As always, when it comes to obituaries, I defer to Variety Magazine--which is renowned for its thoroughness. https://variety.com/.../tom-t-hall-dead-country-music.../

But I want to add some personal thoughts as well.

There are singers, songwriters and singer/songwriters, but Tom was a songwriter/singer--or, more accurately, a Storyteller/singer. His nickname was "The Storyteller." And for good reason.

Most of his best songs were stories....starting with his first big hit: 1968's "Harper Valley PTA," which Jeannie C. Riley took to #1 on the Country and Top 40 charts in the US, Canada and Australia. According to Tom, the story was true, but ALL the names were changed to protect the guilty.

But since this blog is about "Great Songs of the '70s," I'm highlighting TWO of Tom's many songs from that decade.

#1: "I Love:" a simple little tune that in addition to going to #1 on the Country charts in the US and Canada in 1973-74...it reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart.

#2: One of my personal favorites: "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine" (1972): a TRUE story about the time Tom had a conversation with a porter he met in the bar at a Miami Beach Hotel. This one also reached #1 on the Country Charts in both the US and Canada.

There are dozens of other "Great Songs" by Tom T. Hall; these are just two of his best.

Rest in Peace, Tom. "I Loved" your music.

"I Love:"

"Old Dogs:"

"Harper Valley PTA:"