Big Tom - off to the big gig in the sky

AndyBoBandy · 17-04-2018 07:45AM #1

Big Tom - Irish Country Singer has died at 81

Not my cup of tea, but was quite popular nonetheless.

http://www.thejournal.ie/big-tom-death-3961868-Apr2018/

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Having seen some of his story on RTE (Stetsons I think), he appears to have led a great life in the music industry, and has a huge family.

McMurphy · 17-04-2018 07:51AM

Seen him on the late late show a while back, he looked pretty frail then, and unfortunately my initial thoughts turn have been proven right.

He lived a fairly long and successful life, seems to have been pretty much regarded as legendary by his peers in his particular music industry.

Rip.

Effects · 17-04-2018 07:55AM

His music was mediocre. I only say him once though, back in the early nineties. He was playing on the back of a truck in Tobercurry.
Lovely dude though, as was the rest of his band.

Greybottle · 17-04-2018 07:55AM

Absolute Gent. R.I.P.

Not my style of music, my mother was a big fan of him, she often met him working as a barmaid in the 1960's in London, didn't see him for over 30 years and he came up to her one day in Howth harbour and said he recognised her. Seemed to be a very decent skin by all accounts,.

buried · 17-04-2018 08:04AM

R.I.P. Big Tom

Wasn't a fan myself but my Mam is huge fan. Always upsetting when a music artist you like goes one step beyond but at least you still have the tunes.

super_furry · 17-04-2018 08:05AM

What'll the Mainliners do now?

Noveight · 17-04-2018 08:05AM

A gentle giant by all accounts, will be remembered for years to come.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 17-04-2018 08:06AM

He pulled a decent pint but I couldn't stand his music. A nice man to chat to in the bar.

Outlaw Pete · 17-04-2018 08:07AM

Remember my Dad playing this one in the house a lot when I was a kid and singing it to himself a lot to of course.

Which I hated, I won't lie.

RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUCtKTkOXA

Pelvis · 17-04-2018 08:08AM

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Seen him on the late late show a while back, he looked pretty frail then, and unfortunately my initial thoughts turn have been proven right.

Well done on predicting an octogenarian would die soon. Got the lotto numbers there by any chance?

aziz · 17-04-2018 08:14AM

A story I heard years ago that I would love it to be true is that when big Tom got one of his first gigs in New York.
Tom and his band,the Mainliners were booked to play a huge gig in somewhere like the radio city music hall.
"Mainlining" is a term for shooting up heroin so the place was jammed with people expecting to see a grateful dead type band,apparently there was a riot when a bunch of guys wearing pale blue suits walked out on stage and started singing "four roads to glenamaddy"

Beechwoodspark · 17-04-2018 08:17AM

Great voice and stage presence. Ruled the airwaves in the 70s country boom. He was the main man with the main liners.

RIP Big Tom.

freshpopcorn · 17-04-2018 08:25AM

RIP Big Tom.

He was meant to have being a nice man.

I wonder will The Late Late Country music special go ahead?

deandean · 17-04-2018 08:33AM

R.I.P.
He's on that road to the churchyard where his mom and daddy lie.

physioman · 17-04-2018 08:35AM

Met him once. Giant of a man . He couldn't sing but apparently his music had great timing. Caught for tax evasion but generally loved. Could be the biggest funeral up north since Bobby sands.

Trigger Happy · 17-04-2018 08:39AM

Four country roads was a bit of a sound track on our local radio for a few years in the 80s.

RIP Big Tom, he will be walking the 'one country road to the churchyard where my Mum and Daddy lie'

C__MC · 17-04-2018 08:40AM

“Your going with out the same way you came in”

No truer words and a great tune

RIP

C__MC · 17-04-2018 08:41AM

physioman wrote: »

Met him once. Giant of a man . He couldn't sing but apparently his music had great timing. Caught for tax evasion but generally loved. Could be the biggest funeral up north since Bobby sands.

Last time I checked Monaghan was part of the republic

GBX · 17-04-2018 08:42AM

Not a country music fan, a very friendly and nice man. RIP

Birneybau · 17-04-2018 08:43AM

Greybottle wrote: »

Absolute Gent. R.I.P.

Not my style of music, my mother was a big fan of him, she often met him working as a barmaid in the 1960's in London, didn't see him for over 30 years and he came up to her one day in Howth harbour and said he recognised her. Seemed to be a very decent skin by all accounts,.

Can't picture Big Tom as a barmaid but I suppose they were different times

Birneybau · 17-04-2018 08:45AM

C__MC wrote: »

“Your going with out the same way you came in”

No truer words and a great tune

RIP

He'll be buried through a vagina?

physioman · 17-04-2018 09:07AM

C__MC wrote: »

Last time I checked Monaghan was part of the republic

Did I say northern Ireland? North includes all 9 Ulster counties

Standard Toaster · 17-04-2018 09:15AM

RIP Big Tom.

I can't believe his mother is still alive.

branie2 · 17-04-2018 09:59AM

Four roads to Heaven

JP Liz V1 · 17-04-2018 11:32AM

His wife died recent enough too

RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwRXeBdHhs

Greybottle · 17-04-2018 11:39AM

I alos liked his cameo as Tucker McElroy lead singer of The Good 'Ole Boys and driver of the Winnebago in The Blues Brothers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdCc-IEKaD0

kneemos · 17-04-2018 11:43AM

super_furry wrote: »

What'll the Mainliners do now?

Wonder who Big Tom is at this stage probably.

blueser · 17-04-2018 11:48AM

Seemingly a decent fella, going by some of the comments on here. I can't stand that whole "Country and Irish" genre, so I'll keep my comments on his music to myself. The local radio station down here will be in mourning for a week.

ELM327 · 17-04-2018 11:56AM

RIP..
Still got the greatest hits CD in the car. Ain't no man found a way, of beating father time.

Panthro · 17-04-2018 05:28PM

He put Glenamaddy on the map. Parents were big fans.
Another fallen giant.
RIP Big Tom

dublinman1990 · 17-04-2018 05:45PM

I only heard about this on the 6.1 news earlier. A lot of my many older relatives are big fans of him and his music. They probably be very sad to hear of his passing today. I'm not a big fan of his music though and I never met the man in person to know what he was like. But he has left a great legacy of country music behind him for all of his fans to enjoy throughout his long career. R.I.P. Big Tom.

Big Tom - off to the big gig in the sky

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