Rose Records was a record store on Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago. There were several floors of recordings separated by genre. I always headed for one of the upper floors where the folk and country records were located. It was a music lover’s paradise. On one particular day, in the early 90s, I was reading the cover notes of Tom Russell's Poor Man’s Dream. I had not heard of Russell, but something told me to take a chance. It was a wise choice.
Tom Russell has produced several great albums over the course of his career, but I have chosen to write about Poor Man’s Dream since it was my introduction to his music. Released in 1990, it contains several of his best songs. “Blue Wing” co-written with Dave Alvin has become one of his standards. “Gallo Del Cielo,” a song that got the attention of Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead songwriter. The heartbroken inhabitants of “Spanish Burgundy.” This is a songwriter at the top of his game.
Recorded in Norway where Russell frequently tours it features the guitar work of Andrew Hardin who subsequently toured with Russell for years as a duo. This album also features “Outbound Plane” which Russell wrote with Nanci Griffith and was a hit on country radio as performed by Suzy Bogguss.
Russell has built a successful career and has avoided the Nashville scene, or any other scene. He writes well-crafted intelligent songs detailing the American experience and has steadily forged a path of success by turning out great songs. He is also one of those rare artists who hasn’t made a poor record, and some are landmarks of the Americana music scene. The Man From God Knows Where explores the roots of his Irish and Nordic family history.
In the pantheon of Americans music, Tom Russell is one pillar of artistic ingenuity. Check him out.
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