A Tom Rush in Paradise Event

By Deatonphotos @ Shutterstock.com

Back in the sixties, Tom Rush was a driving force in the folk music scene at Club 47 in Harvard Square, Cambridge Mass.

At that time, I lived on the 2nd floor of a two-decker walk-up rat hole on Forest St., a tired little backstreet behind the old Forest Café on Mass. Ave., just off the square.

My free time in the early sixties was spent in the jazz, R&B and blues dives in the “combat zone” (see Palace Café) abutting Chinatown in downtown Boston, and along Washington St., Mass Ave, and Columbus Ave. Only Wally’s survives to this day.

As such, I never was a folk scene participant, but knew well the style and skills of Mr. Rush. Last I saw Tom was at Pepe’s Café here in Key West. Tom makes an annual pilgrimage to “paradise” and is always greeted as royalty to packed venues. This year, it was at the newly revamped Studios of Key West.

Today, Tom is at the top of his form, with a great wit, a raft of new Tom Rush songs, and his best guitar playing ever, accompanied by a gritty and captivating voice.

Catch Tom Rush when he hits your town.

Dick Young
Key West Florida
31 January 2018