ReverbNation
Profile Image

Tom May

54 years as a full time, professional singer songwriter- eighteen albums; 40 years of producing and hosting a nationally syndicated public radio program ("River City Folk") hundreds and hundreds of gigs at concert halls, coffeehouses, and pubs; one commissioned book published on Madison Ave, NY by Routledge in 2007; a Memoir (" I Wouldn't Count on It"- released in 2020) and a lifetime of dedication to this "music that makes a difference". Newest album - " A Road Worth Driving Down" in January 2018- featuring Grammy award winner Doug Smith on lead guitar, Donny Wright, ( studio and live bass player for Tracy Grammer) Billy Oskay on fiddle (founder of the world music pioneers "Nightnoise") and a whole new crop of original songs. Recorded and produced with Dan Rhiger at Medicine Whistle Studios, Portland Oregon. For five decades, Tom May has been performing, writing, and singing his songs, filled with geography, history, romance, and wine. He is founder and producer of the nationally syndicated radio program "River City Folk", and also of Portland, Oregon's largest annual Folk Music event "Winterfolk"- ) which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to feed the less fortunate in Portland's Old Town. Throughout his long career in music he has released 18 albums and played in every region of the U.S. and Canada, at concert halls, festivals and clubs. Highlights include appearances with full symphony orchestra accompanying him on his original songs; performances at festivals such as the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, The Napa Valley Folk Festival in California; playing his "new songs of the old west" presentation at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and opening for Gordon Lightfoot, Alabama, Willie Nelson, and many others. In 2007 his book "Promoting Your Music- The Lovin' of the Game" ( with Dick Weissman) was published by Routledge, New York to stellar reviews, and remains popular and in print. Look for a book memoir/CD project to be released with Inkwater Press in April 2020! He lives in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, continues to perform frequently. Much more information on all of Tom's albums, River City Folk", and his career is available at his extensive website, www.tommayfolk.com

La Center, WA

Albums

Music

Videos

Tom May profile on Oregon Artbeat, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Photos

  • Tom May Memoir- 2020
  • Seattle Folklore Society 2008
  • 2018 new release
  • Tom at Kerrville, Texas Folk Festival, 1993
  • Tom May, Chris Kennedy, Donny Wright:  Aladdin Theatre, Portland "Winterfolk 26"-photo by Docherty
  • River and the Road Tom 1994
  • opening for G Lightfoot 1974
  • Tom May w/ the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, in concert, 1994
  • w Martin 12 string in 1983
  • Tom and David Rea,  Artichoke Music, Portland, OR 2011
  • Tom and Donny Wright at Artichoke, Portland Oregon-photo by Scott Docherty
  • River City Folk duets, disc released 2014
  • duets inside cover- design by Docherty, redhare.com
  • Tom's van "Maggie", at about 300,000 miles- in Colorado, 2002
  • Tom May at Artichoke 2017, photo by Scott Docherty
  • Tom May at the Horse Brass Pub, PDX Oregon, 2001
  • Tom May and Chris Kennedy,   Grant House, Vancouver WA 2013- photo by Scott Docherty
  • Tom and his Martin D-41;  from the "Columbian" newspaper
  • Blue Northern Tom 1991
  • "Open Spaces", Nebraska Sandhills, 1987
  • w/ Omaha Symphony 1994
  • making "Vested" 2001
  • Tom, Terry Prohaska, Peter Yarrow, "Winterfolk 20"
  • Tom, Gordon Lightfoot, David Rea, after Lincoln City Concert 1999
  • Tom in Omaha 1984
  • Tom w/ Donny Wright, La Grande OR concert, winter 2005
  • Tom May promo 1994
  • Tom and Donny Wright at Artichoke 2013
  • St. Louis 1981
  • "Vested" 2001
  • Tom May photo
  • River City Folk "duets" 2014- w Michael Johnson, Beppe Gambetta, Bill Staines, etc....
  • "Blue Roads, Red Wine"  produced at Billy Oskay's Big Red Studio, released 2008
  • "Just Another Night at Kells", released 2006
  • "Vested",  released 2001- recorded at Billy Oskay's Big Red Studio,  produced by Clete Baker
  • "Trace of the Troubador" live Tom May CD, released 2001
  • "River and the Road"  released 1994 by Folk Era records, Chicago
  • "Blue Northern", released 1991
  • "From the Prairies to the Past"  Tom May compilation of early albums
  • "Winterfolk 10" CD 1998 Produced by Tom May
  • "Winterfolk 15" CD, produced by Tom May- released by Waterbug  records 2003
  • "Winterfolk 22" CD- produced by Tom May  2010
  • "Winterfolk 27" CD- produced by Tom May, 2015