Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Jos
Date: 29 Dec 17 - 11:53 AM

I'm not sure if you need to sign in these days to listen, but here is the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jx8mw

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Jos
Date: 29 Dec 17 - 11:32 AM

It's the last item in the half-hour programme - about the last six minutes. Not much of his music but interesting to hear Ben Paley talking about him.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Jos
Date: 29 Dec 17 - 10:51 AM

BBC Radio 4 'Last Words' obituaries at 4 p.m. (16 hours) this afternoon have finally got round to including Tom Paley.
What took them so long?

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 13 Dec 17 - 04:26 PM

It was February, 2016 at the Lead Belly Fest at Carnegie Hall in NYC. I scraped up all my spare change and managed to get myself a decent seat.

Tom Paley was there. He was obviously frail, and played sitting down, but he was there. A great lineup of musical luminaries played that night (the show was almost four hours long!), but for me, seeing Tom Paley was a special highlight. He still had the magic.

R.I.P. Mr. Paley - and thank you for the music.


Jay

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 Dec 17 - 05:42 AM

this thread is back then?
a posted link was a 404 and searching didn't find it.
was this part of the re-vamp Max is trying?

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Phil Edwards
Date: 11 Dec 17 - 05:07 PM

I'm happy to be able to say I've seen Tom Paley - five or six years ago, when Jozeph Roberts booked him for Chorlton FC - although I'm afraid I had no idea who he was. He was good, though (needless to say!).

Subject: Obit: Tom Paley
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Dec 17 - 04:58 AM

I am surprise to be the first to mention this.

The UK Telegraph had nearly half a page on him. He was a founder member of the "New Lost City Ramblers" and played with Leadbelly, Woodie Guthrie, the Seegers and many more. Because he refused to cooperate with McCarthyites he ended up in the UK and frequented London Folk Clubs. He was 89.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 11:58 AM

Tom was a seminal influence in New York City in the Fifties where he introduced finger picking to the urban young people at that time. His "Railroad Bill" taken from Hobart Smith's rendition was picked up by a lot of people.

I am so sorry to hear of his death.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 30 Oct 17 - 03:51 AM

> I was amazed at the sound, rhythm, and technic.

Indeed. On the rare occasions when Tom played his guitar at Sharp's Folk Club I (and many others) would sit there utterly spellbound.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: akenaton
Date: 28 Oct 17 - 11:31 AM

My introduction to American folk music was Tom Paley playing "Buck Dancers Choice", I was amazed at the sound, rhythm, and technic.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: BanjoRay
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 01:18 PM

It was our privilege in the Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance (FOAOTMAD) to have Tom as our honorary life President from our start in 1994 to his recent death. He played many times at our annual festival in Gainsborough, readily accepting gigs with us, and would when not on stage would find a jam and get stuck in. There was only one snag with this - the fiddles and banjos were usually in special trad tunings to suit certain tunes but if Tom wanted to change key, he'd just launch into it and we'd all have to rapidly retune. He was a delight to play with, because he brought a real American feel to the tunes we loved. I was really glad to be Chairman during some of this time (2004 - 2009). The club won't be the same without him.
Ray Banks

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 07:57 PM

A number of years ago our folk society in the Wash DC area was holding its monthly 'open sing'. Tom just happened to be in town and someone brought him over...(big surprise- were not expecting this)
After a few songs, it was my turn, (I play only autoharp), and I had already planned to do "The Storms Are On the Ocean" I got thru one verse and glanced up and there was Tom, directly across from me in the circle, his fiddle poised! Thankfully, I was quick enough to give him a nod, and he did a great fiddle break! (and did background on the rest)
   It will always be one of my favorite memories to have had Tom Paley play backup for me.. if only for one song. It made no difference to him who was playing.... it was the music and sharing it.

Subject: RE: Tom Paley (1928 - 2017)
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 01:45 PM

I will miss him , i am sorry I could not be at his funeral.

Subject: Tom Paley (1938 - 2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 12:51 PM

Tom's funeral at Golders Green and the reception afterwards at Cecil Sharp House took place yesterday. There were far more people at the ceremony at the crematorium then could gt in even with standing room. Even with standing room there were many people outside.
At the reception/concert later at Cecil Sharp House, there were in my estimation around 250 people. Both events seemed to me to be joyous celebrations of this iconic figure.
It was a very long day for me starting early to pick up a hired minibus in Brighton to pick up drive friends, relatives, the display boards, instruments and other things that would be needed for the reception. Being welcomed in Bonnie Dobson's house before the drive to the crematorium was very welcome an I'm sure that we would all like to thank Bonnie for her hospitality.
The celebrant was River Jones from Brighton; I have been to a number a funerals that she has officiated at and she always brings the correct blend of dignity, respect and humanity to her ceremonies so thanks also to her.
I think I must have known around a half of the large number of people in the main hall at Cecil Sharp House. I was one of three event organisers who was called on to give a tribute to the man. I was able to mention that we had booked Tom first in the spring of 1970 and for the last time in autumn of 2014 - and with very many times in between - an amazing span of 44 years!

Photos of all of this at https://www.facebook.com/vic.smith.54/media_set?set=a.1982695765080146.1073741962.100000192240957&type=3&uploaded=46

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 08:00 AM

Murray, I am surprised that you didn't mention the huge metal "Screw eye" if that's the right term that Tom used to attach the guitar strap.
It certainly is a unique instrument and lovely to play.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 06:46 PM

Just FTR ... not that it will be of any interest to anybody other than guitar geeks like myself ... Tom's guitar was kinda unique.

It was a 1929 Martin OO-40 H, which signifies that originally it was a Hawaiian guitar , meant for playing with a slide. It later got modified into a regular guitar by lowering the nut and saddle.

An interesting feature of his guitar was that it had a strip of marquetry inlaid into the top, in the center seam. I asked him about this , at the house concert where I last saw him play, and he said he had bought it like this.

I do know that he had the bridge altered by Brighton luthier Keith Johns, from a standard Martin pyramid bridge to a kind of hybrid pyramid / belly bridge.

His concert that evening was memorable ... he was frail, and suffering pain in his shoulder, which affected his ability to play fiddle, but it was truly a privilege to see and hear once again one of the true greats of American folk music.

R.I.P Tom Paley.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,John James
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 12:51 PM

Funny the way things go, in an earlier post, Vic was referring to Tom on tour in the US a few years ago and the bus Tom was travelling on left him behind at a rest stop, but taking all his luggage and instruments away. Tom had asked me before this tour of any suggestions
helpful hints of carrying instruments around the States doing gigs by public transport, he knew I had tried it. But then he told me how many he intended to take...."Tom what d'you want 2 fiddles for ?"
I told Tom I'll see if Happy can help.
Happy Traum, Tom and myself had toured together in the past, and strangely tomorrow Happy is doing a show just outside Amsterdam, the three of us did our final date in the Nederlands 10 mins from this very place. and next week at Cecil Sharp house Happy Traum is doing his presentation on the early years of the New York Folk Scene where of course, all being well Tom was going to be there for a special night.
There you go. RIP Tom Paley.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 12:07 PM

Richard,

Not an argument with anybody, I was just trying to clarify a situation.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Richard Robinson
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 10:36 AM

¨As I mentioned" ... you did, yes, and it wasn't the comment I was picking up on. I think perhaps I've wandered into somebody else's argument.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 10:11 AM

Richard,

As I mentioned above the sessions that I was referring to were for the purpose of playing American Old Time Music and have been running for in excess of 27 years. Therefore the possibility of any participant other than Tom knowing some obscure tune from any part of Sweden would be almost zero.
I have never said that he was not enjoyable to play with. When he stuck to the script especially when he played guitar or banjo he was bloody amazing.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Richard Robinson
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 07:33 AM

(empty post above - sorry. Tells fingers off)

"I am sad to read that "nobody else knew or could play or was even interested in" Tom's Swedish tunes."

Not entirely true, obv. I only met him a couple of times, but we found some obscure west-Jämtland tunes that we had in common. He was nice to play with.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Richard Robinson
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 07:28 AM

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 11 Oct 17 - 04:15 PM

The Times obituary -
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tom-paley-obituary-w58s26fqz

... or a part of it as the Times website is a pay-site/

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 11 Oct 17 - 04:12 PM

Washington Post Obituary -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/tom-paley-who-helped-spur-folk-revival-with-new-lost-city-ramblers-dies-at-89/20

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Ben Paley
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 06:21 AM

Wow, thank you all so much. It's really heartwarming to read so many lovely words about my father. Thank you all for taking the time to write.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 03:14 AM

I've seen Tom at my local folk music club every couple of years over the passed 50 yrs.
Used to love his version of Louis Collins.
Around 1980, I was in London and went to a folk music club near the Roundhouse.
Tom was in the audience and did a floor spot. I remember the thrill of hearing Tom unexpectedly.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 06 Oct 17 - 06:08 AM

Jos,

Nothing to be sad about.
One session to which I was referring is one that has been running for over twenty seven years devoted in the main to old time Appalachian string band music, a style of music at which Tom was an expert. Not surprising therefore at a lack of interest among the other participants when Tom sneaked in a Swedish tune. Have you ever tried flat footing or doing a buck and wing or playing clawhammer banjo to a Swedish tune? Two completely different styles.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Jos
Date: 06 Oct 17 - 05:34 AM

I am sad to read that "nobody else knew or could play or was even interested in" Tom's Swedish tunes.
There are any number of good guitar players, and probably plenty of good banjo players, but for me his Swedish music was a real treat.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 01:03 PM

Obituary in today's New York Times -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/02/obituaries/tom-paley-dead.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fobituaries&action=click&

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 11:12 AM

Tom's most important skill was as a guitar player and banjo player and it was his mastery of those two instruments during his time with John Cohen and Mike Seeger during the late 50's early 60's which influenced so many people to take up the music. Several big name musicians cite him as an influence and some took a lesson or two from him. Many of his friends would despair after he took up the fiddle and only very rarely played either of the two instruments on which he excelled. Over the many years that I have picked with him - not professionally I might add, the cry often came up "for xxxx'x sake put down the fiddle and play the banjo". All to no avail of course. At a tune session we always had to make sure that the pause between tunes was pretty brief otherwise he would start a Swedish tune that nobody else knew or could play or was even interested in.
He has certainly left a big hole in the London club and pub session scene and will be sorely missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 05:22 AM

Neither the contributions above nor the Guardian obituary say much about Tom's love of Swedish music. (And there's a small spelling mistake in the obit: "Latår" should be "Låtar".) For many years what he played for pleasure was mainly Swedish and American music on the fiddle. Apart from paid gigs it was only as an occasional rare treat that he would bring his guitar or banjo. His skill on the fiddle did not match that on the guitar and banjo but it was what he loved. He came regularly to play for our Scandinavian dance group in London and we were glad to have him there.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Robin Arzoni
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 04:20 PM

I was greatly saddened to hear of Tom's death. For about three years I played fiddle in his band the New Deal String Band (or as Tom would sometimes call it, the Nude Eel String Band), and these gigs provided some of the most memorable experiences of my life. We toured Sweden and Norway in 1973 and 1974, and Tom's love of Scandinavia and its fiddle music made a lasting impression on me. He was a man of strong principles, a consummate professional, a master of the awful pun, and an unsurpassed conoisseur of Chinese food. Rest well, Tom: you will be missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: GUEST,Roger Knowles
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 07:47 AM

RIP Dear Tom.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 07:36 AM

Tom had perfect pitch I believe - Confused a lot of people back i the day tuning his guitar to a kazoo !!!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 05:45 AM

Obituary in today's "The Guardian" written by Robin Denselow -
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/02/tom-paley-obituary

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 05:41 AM

Brian's comments reminds me of the time that we were booked at Broadstairs festival in 2009. Tom and Ben were also booked that year and Ben had a number of other commitments apart from those with his dad. One evening Tina and I were scheduled to run a tune session in a pub. When we got there, Tom was already in the room. He told us that Ben was busy that night so he looked through the programme to decide where to go. He saw that we were running a session and thoughy, "Oh! That'll be good. I'll go to that." You can imagine how that made us feel.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Brian Peters
Date: 03 Oct 17 - 04:40 AM

Tom was a central part of the London folk scene when I used to live there in the late 1970s, as indeed he has been right up until very recently. Last time I saw him was at Islington FC - on the front row as usual. For such a distinguished musician he was very modest and softly-spoken, but would often come up at the end of one of my performances to share a vital snippet of information about some song I'd just played. I also remember a late-night session at Whitby a few years back, at which he sang a very moving song he'd written himself. Loved his 'Old Time Moonshine' CD as well.

He's obviously a hugely important figure, but mostly I'll just miss seeing his face around those London clubs.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 02:09 PM

oh dear, what a charming helpful man, and a great musician singer and performer RIP Tom

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Elmore
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 10:52 AM

Booked Tom for a house concert in Boston, Ma. in the eighties. He stayed at our very humble home, and was a delightful guest. A gifted performer who will be missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 10:34 AM

Saw Tom when he played Ripponden Folk Club many years ago, brilliant night, sad loss.

I wish I could have seen The New Lost City Ramblers too.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 08:42 AM

Dave wrote -
we nearly missed getting him to Nottingham bus station for his coach to London......

We play in a dance band with Tom's son Ben. Six years ago, during an interval at one of our dances, Ben told us the latest of his "Oh God! My dad...." stories. He had just spoken to his dad in the USA.....

Tom was on tour in the New England travelling from gig to gig by Greyhound bus. On one of the journeys the bus stopped off for a break and Tom went off to the toilet. By the time he got back the bus had left with all his stuff on it. We all laughed and at this latest exploit and then I thought and said, "Wait a minute! We are laughing at this. here is a man in his 80s touring by bus with a guitar, banjo, fiddle, backpack with all his clothes in and, no doubt, his ever present camera case.... and we are laughing at him!"

Fortunately Tom his diary with him with the phone number of that night's gig with him so he was able to make a phone call. Tom was retrieved by one car and all his gear by another and the gig went ahead as planned.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley (1928-2017)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 03:08 AM

Very sorry to hear this news. We booked Tom at The Tiger in Long Eaton early 1994 just as Bob Dylan's "World Gone Wrong" album had been released and Tom had been cited as the source of some of the tracks that it contained. This naturally did his profile no harm at all and we had a capacity crowd at the club that night. The following morning he admitted that he hadn't seen the album so I showed him my copy which sparked off a plethora of tales about the early days in Greenwich Village and the U.S. folk scene in general to the extent that we nearly missed getting him to Nottingham bus station for his coach to London. As mentioned above, a true gentleman and an artist I always enjoyed hearing. RIP Tom.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 07:55 PM

Too bad. Loved his work with the New Lost City Ramblers.........and I think I remember playing a 10" solo lp by him as well, plus one that was a duet album he did with Peggy Seeger. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: ripov
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 07:34 PM

He will be missed at the London Scandi session. He was there very often, although not so much of late; just playing along, or teaching us new tunes.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 04:51 PM

Very sorry to hear of Tom's passing, though not entirely surprised knowing how unwell he'd been. He was a familiar and welcome sight at many of the North London folk clubs - the last time I saw him was at the Cellar Upstairs in June this year. I think he was recovering from pneumonia then, and nobody expected to see him at all, but he arrived, played and sang. He probably shouldn't have gone out in that condition, but he obviously enjoyed his music so much, nothing would stop him. Though he was weaker than I'd seen him before, he still had that twinkle in his eye. A lovely man.

R.I.P. Tom.
Anahata

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: GUEST,Wendy M. Grossman
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 02:24 PM

I, too, am sorry to hear this. I think I met Tom on my first trip to London, back in the mid 1970s - the first of many dim sum meals over the years. He was everything people here have said and more.

wg

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 01:09 PM

I remember him very well from the Dingles Folk Club days, and he came to see me a couple of times last year when I gigged in London.
God rest you Tom

Nick Dow

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 12:30 PM

RIP
condolences to all the family, friends and admirers.

https://www.facebook.com/americanfolklifecenter/posts/10155757011294723

http://www.clashmusic.com/news/american-folk-hero-tom-paley-has-died


Thomas.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 12:08 PM

I count it an honour to have known Tom not only as a performer and a musician for Swedish dancing but also as a friend. It seems only fairly recently that he had finally slowed down a lot and come to show his age. We knew that he had been ill and in and out of hospital in the last few months but we hoped that he would be OK after he moved to a nursing home in Brighton near Ben. I am very sorry indeed that he has left us.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Paley
From: topical tom
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 12:00 PM

He was a great singer and banjo player. We saw him in Winnipeg in 1979 with the New Lost City Ramblers.I especially loved his singing of "The Country Blues". His music will live on. RIP Tom.