When it is windy and cold, you don't go out without good reason. Eighty people found their reason in the warm, cosy basement of the Thomas Ford Memorial Library last Friday night. Folksinger Tom Kastle played Friday at the Ford, our occasional concert series sponsored by the Western Springs Library Friends, who served refreshments.
We billed Tom as a maritime singer, for he performs many songs about sailors and the sea, lakes and rivers, and he knows of what he sings, being a ship captain himself. He still sang a number of such songs, including "Carry Nelson Home," "Cold Winds," "Down by the Embarras," and the title song to his latest CD, Tommy's Gone to Hilo. He also showed us something new - his singer/songwriter side. His new repertoire included ballads and love songs from his previous CD Across the Center Line, including the title song, “Wastin’ My Time,” and “Dance with You.”
Tom is an engaging entertainer who had us singing along on choruses right at the start of the evening before turning to some more introspective songs. For almost every song he had a story. I enjoyed hearing about the blacksmiths' gathering in Minnesota (picture above) and of his performing a wedding as a ship's captain. And we were singing along again at the end of the performance. As people left, I heard many thanks to the Friends and Library for bringing Tom in.
Tom enjoys playing libraries. Programmers can learn more at his website. You can also find a good selection of pieces on YouTube, including "In Fire is Iron Born."
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