Bluesman plans acoustic show at Globe
Tom Larsen will also host reading
By Roger Hillis • For Go! Magazine • May 7, 2009
Local bluesman Tom Larsen has found a unique way to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a performer — by penning his autobiography.
The guitarist and singer-songwriter will read selections from the book as well as perform solo and full-band shows at The Globe in Berlin on Saturday as part of the second annual Berlin Jazz & Blues Bash, which includes various performers and continues all day. Those who attend the outdoor portion of the event during the afternoon are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, although limited seating will be provided. Larsen will be backed by bassist Duncan West and drummer Tony Robinson during his 2:30 p.m. set; the show will move inside at 7 p.m.
The Somerset County native, who still resides on the Shore, has provided countless interviews to newspapers during the past three decades while promoting his independently released albums; Larsen’s new album — his 10th — is called “My Paper’s Low.” However, he’s never delved into his personal life until now. The book is fittingly titled “The Elusive One.”
“I’ve always liked to keep my private life private,” Larsen said. “My dad had a lot of combat experiences, but it isn’t something he would want to open up about very often. That’s just the way that generation is, and I can relate to that.
“I like to talk about my music, but even then, I try not to brag about my accomplishments. I don’t think about ‘glory days’ because I feel like I’m just hitting my stride.”
Charles Calloway, Larsen’s former bassist, wrote the forward to the book and was its main inspiration.
“Charles played with me for years until he moved to California not too long ago,” Larsen said. “He was in his early 20’s when he started playing with me and we’d drive together on these four-hour road trips to shows. He’d always ask me what it was like to meet Muddy Waters or to open for James Brown. He would say, ‘These stories are incredible, you’ve got to write this stuff down.’ ”
Others had suggested the same, and Larsen found a quick and simple solution via the Internet.
“I started writing a blog on my Web site,” Larsen said. “There is a counter that keeps track of the Web traffic, and I couldn’t believe how many people were reading them. After I had 52 postings, I decided to publish the book.”
Larsen reveals his life as a single parent and delves into his pre-music days as a traveling firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service and a stint hitch-hiking across the country on box cars.
When he decided to play the blues for a living in 1979, disco music was all the rage on Delmarva and throughout America.
“There were no blues bars or festivals or DVDs at the store or anything,” Larsen said. “I had a vision of what I wanted to hear and no one else was doing it so I decided to do it myself.”
By writing blues songs that feature funky dance beats, he packed dance floors. While blues purists may have balked, Larsen has stuck with this uptempo style for 30 years, during which he hasn’t had to work a day job. Recent CDs have even included a hip-hop influence. “I think hip-hop is a natural progression from rhythm and blues and dance music,” Larsen said.
Larsen’s stage shows are also known for spotlighting the soloing capabilities of his rhythm sections. He has been backed by talented musicians such as Elwood Bishop, James Upsher, the late John Postley and many others. “I’ve always worked with the best of the best, and now people expect that whenever they come to see me,” Larsen said.
While Tom Larsen hasn’t become a household name like his friends such as George Thorogood, he continues to write songs for national performers through a publishing agreement with Alligator Records.
“I used to learn how to play Johnny Winter’s songs and then to know that he was figuring out how to play one of my songs was pretty mind-blowing,” Larsen said.
