Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!

Subject: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 11:02 PM

Unless I totally skipped over the thread I guess I'm first to the 'Cat with this, which surprises me. Anyway, Tom Paxton has been selected to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award(!) The award will also be announced during the televised award ceremony tomorrow night on CBS.

His latest CD, Comedians and Angels (a good 'un!) was also nominated in the "Best Traditional Folk Album" category.

And there was a very nice, sweet and amusing article in today's Washington Post. In fact, I'm not sure what impresses me more--that Paxton nets a Lifetime Achievement Grammy or that the Post Style section publishes a complimentary article about an artist/culture/entertainment form I like!

-- Gary

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: kendall
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 11:05 PM

He sure has "Done his time on the cross" as they say. One of the greats, no question.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Colin Randall
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 11:39 PM

The man is a hero and fully deserves the honour.

As I recalled in an item at Salut! Live a little while ago, my first live encounter with Tom came at a time when I'd decided, with the folly of youth, that he was no longer cool, that others had taken his place at the cutting edge of folk with attitude.

It took only a few minutes to prove me wrong. It was an outstanding, memorable concert on every level and, though 35+ years ago, slips easily into mind if I think hard enough.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: GUEST,Peace
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 12:24 AM

He is a great songwriter and important voice of our times.

Tom, I don't know whether you'll ever see this post, but you more than deserve the award. Congratulations for helping the rest of us to open our eyes.

BM

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: topical tom
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 10:25 AM

The award is richly deserved and late in coming but better late than never.I have seen Tom perform live a number of times.In fact, he is coming to Montreal in April and I already have my ticket.His concerts are a delight every time.Congratulations, Tom, for writing and singing the music we all needed to hear.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: gnu
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 10:28 AM

Excellent!

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: GUEST,Murphy
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 10:34 AM

Check out Youtube for his 911 song

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Tootler
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 10:52 AM

A thoroughly well deserved accolade.

He is at the Sage in Gateshead this month. Sadly I was unable to get tickets.

We were due to go away at the time of the concert, but the arrangements we had had to be altered. By the time that had happened, it was too late as the concert was sold out.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: frogprince
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 11:19 AM

About 30 years ago, someone writting for the music scene in a Chicago newspaper mentioned, Tom in one or two sentences, as (approximate but fair quote) "a guy who writes some funny songs."
I was appalled at the writer's cluelessness. Thanks be that there are still those who know. I can't imagine anyone more deserving of this. We've been fortunate enough to see Tom live several times in the last few years.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: open mike
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 11:38 AM

congrats to Tom! HE IS A TRESURE!

the good news is that the concert
is sold out so many will enjoy his music.

He is the master of the "Short shelf life song"
which includes topical info based on current events.

His 911 song is called The Bravest and sings of the
footsteps of the firefighters going up the stairs
while everyone else was going down. it is among the
downloads here on his webpage

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 12:01 PM

GOOD!!!

It's about time.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 08 Feb 09 - 01:10 PM

Well done Tom.
We booked him for our folk club in Aberystwyth in the mid 60s, and he was great. I had my first joint with him and a couple of mates at a party - and Billy J Kramer was there as well! my god the memories come flooding back....
Hardly anyone had heard of him then.
Ray

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: GUEST,Mike B.
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:38 AM

I watched the Grammys last night - didn't see anything about Paxton's award.

Perhaps I missed it somehow, but these life achievement award winners deserve better than a mere passing mention on the national telecast.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Beer
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:45 AM

Wonderful.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: bankley
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 08:07 AM

Traditional folk album 'At 89' - Pete Seeger

Contemporary folk album/Americana - 'Raising Sand' - Allison Kraus, Robert Plant
which also got 'album of the year' and 'country vocal collaboration'

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Colin Randall
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 08:35 AM

So did it happen, or did it not?

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: topical tom
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 08:46 AM

There was a brief appearance of Tom on the small tv monitor and he was mentioned as having been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. It happened very quickly at about 11:20 last night and was followed by the performance by Robert Plant and Allison Kraus. I agree with GUEST, Mike B.;such an accomplishment should receive a much better form of recognition.I saw no mention of Pete Seeger's album (At 89).

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 08:56 AM

"At 89" took Best Traditional Folk album, according the Grammys website. No mention of ANY lifetime achievement awards that I could find.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: bankley
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 08:58 AM

there are so many categories that never get 'aired' but what's a minute or two in the 'achievement of a lifetime'...
no mention of blues or jazz either... I would have canned Kanye, McCartney, and Bono to free up time... but that's my tastes

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Wesley S
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 09:04 AM

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving songwriter. A true American treasure.

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 11:38 AM

Here comes some thread creep. In the Washington Post, Tom relates a story that his daughter heard his song "The Last Thing on My Mind" in an English pub. When she thanked the singer for singing her father's song, the singer said, "No he didn't, it's an old Scottish Song." Maybe it happened, but who would have thougt a song with the line, Underneath our feet the subways rumblin' would be traditional?

But I think it is wonderful that Tom obtained this award. He certainly deserves it. He is a favorite of mine, especially his "short shelf life" songs.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 11:52 AM

The Grammy Awards holds an afternoon event where many of the awards are handed out. The primetime awards are reserved for the more popular genres.   The awards for folk, polka, Native American, etc are usually announced with a chyron scoll going into or out of commercial breaks.

I don't think Tom was present at the ceremony as he was home dealing with a family issue.   The lifetime achievement awards at the Grammy's are usually not big productions.

Not that I agree with any of there broadcast specs- obviously I care about the "other" awards more. The good thing is, I could look up the awards online and save several hours of my life from watching that drivel on TV!

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: KenM
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 12:51 PM

I had seen the note about Tom Paxton's Lifetime Achievement Award on his website but like a number of other people on this thread was not about to put up with three hours of crap just to hear his name mentioned. He is, as Wesley S notes, a true American treasure.

To Roger in Baltimore......if you listen to Paxton's "Live in the UK" CD, he tells the story about his daughter being told that "Last Thing On My Mind" was a traditional Scottish folk song. He also gives this little self-deprecating piece about "Last Thing....."

(Sing to the tune of The Last Thing On My Mind")

Well I met this young girl at a folk club
Like you do, like you do
So I bought her a drink and we chatted
Wouldn't you, wouldn't you
And after the show, she invited me home
And she said we were two of a kind
Then she played me every record that Tom Paxton ever made
And you know that was the last thing on my mind

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: bankley
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:34 PM

I didn't watch the show to see one person... there were some I liked, like Kid Rock singing 'Rock and Roll Jesus', Jennifer Hudson, Cold Play with the Bobby Brown bit, Chesney, The Four Tops tribute, Radiohead with that marching band, Stevie Wonder always grooves.. Allison and Robert.. now what about the other 2 1/2 hours ?

Subject: RE: Tom Paxton Lifetime Achievement Grammy!
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 08:58 AM

I've ordered, as I try to do, every album nominated in the Folk, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Native American, and Hawaiian (and other) categories. Some of these, at least, will be coming from Camsco.