October in the Railroad Earth

Tom Russell’s latest recording of original compositions, October in the Railroad Earth, is set for CD and vinyl release March 15, 2019, on Frontera Records in North America and Proper Records for the rest of the world. He describes the songs and sound as “Jack Kerouac meets Johnny Cash in Bakersfield.”
Bill Kirchen is featured on lead electric guitar, Eliza Gilkyson adds vocals, and the Grammy® Award-winning Texmaniacs appear on “Isadore Gonzalez,” about a Mexican cowboy who died in England during a performance of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The record contains nine other originals, including the title song from the Irish film Small Engine Repair, and a cover of the traditional “Wreck of the Old 97.”
October in the Railroad Earth follows the acclaimed 2017 Frontera/Proper album Folk Hotel and Russell’s tribute to Ian & Sylvia on True North Records, Play One More, both receiving worldwide acclaim. Between major releases in 2018, Russell recorded the Bruce Springsteen track “Across The Border” for the three-disc Appleseed Records anniversary sampler, Roots and Branches, and issued a re-recording of early classics on Frontera, Old Songs Yet To Sing.

Russell’s previous album of new original material was the 2015 “folk opera” that Thom Jurek of allmusic.com hailed as Tom’s masterpiece, The Rose of Roscrae. Named “The top folk album of 2015” by Mojo magazine, Roscrae was also lauded as “maybe the most important Americana record of all time” by UK Folk. The album was included in top ten lists of dozens of publications, including the Los Angeles Times.

In 2007, on one of Russell’s five appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, he debuted the controversial “Who’s Gonna Build Your Wall?” which has since gone viral.

Tom Russell’s songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, Nanci Griffith, k.d. lang, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Alvin, Iris DeMent, Dave Van Ronk, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Joe Ely, Tom Paxton, Ian Tyson, and Joe Ely, among many others.
Tom Russell graduated from the University of California with a Master’s degree in Criminology and taught Sociology in Nigeria during the Biafran War.
 Fall Newsletter
Fall Newsletter Tom Russell
Tom Russell in Concert - Coming Soon! With Thad Beckman!

Toronto, Hugh's Room, Sept. 3 www.hughsroom.com http://hughsroom.com

Chicago, Fitzgerald's, Sept 5, http://www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com

St. Louis Sept 6, Off Broadway, http://www.offbroadwaystl.com www.offbroadwaystl.com

Toronto Art Show Opening of Tom Russell Art - Sept 2, 6pm-9pm, The Liss Gallery: 140 Yorkville Ave. http://www.lissgallery.com www.lissgallery.com The Liss Gallery also features art by Ronnie Wood and Bernie Taupin...

"Art washes the dust of everyday life from the soul." Picasso

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Two New Tom Russell CD Collections Released in September! Now Available for pre order from Village Records...

"Tonight We Ride! -The Tom Russell Cowboy Collection" has been updated with all the best versions, newly discovered rarities and duets. John Yuelkenbeck has created a masterwork - remastering, new artwork, stuff from the vaults....the ultimate cowboy list. 19 Tracks, duets with Ramblin Jack, Ian Tyson, and Brian Burns...five never released and one new song.

Get full track list and notes here and pre-order link: http://www.villagerecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=9371

http://www.villagerecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=9371



Tom Russell: The Western Years....Rockbeat Records is releasing a double CD. Not essentially cowboy but centered on the West....36 Tracks from the last 20 years....a really wild collection...Tom sings Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, duets with Nanci Griffith, three live unreleased tracks unearthed of Gallo del Cielo, Navajo Rug, and The Sky Above The Mud Below....plus a lot more and fantastic historic Western Art. See full track listening and notes and pre order from Village Records via this link:

Full Track listing and pre order link from Village:

http://www.villagerecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=9349

http://www.villagerecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=9349

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Three Big Cowboy Festivals Coming with Tom Russell

Oct 2 - Durango Cowboy Gathering, Durango Colorado... http://www.durangocowboygathering.org

Nov 21,22 - Monterrey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival http://www.montereycowboy.org

Jan 29,30, 2015 Elko National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Tom debuts his new double album on The West in two nights of dinner theater with special guests: Augie Meyer, Gretchen Peters, Barry Walsh, Thad Beckman, Sourdough Slim and others...not to be missed. https://www.westernfolklife.org/ www.westernfolklife.org

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NEW! ONLINE! ART BEAT Gallery....Check it Out...

http://artbeatgalleryco.com/featured-artists/tomrussell/

Now You Can View the newest Tom Russelll art, along with six other major artists - including Kerri Powers at: www.artbeatgalleryco.com Please leave comments or email or talk to curator Mike Hurshman directly: artbeatgallery@aol.com Phone 970-361-7490

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Tom Russell Art Also in Santa Fe at The Rainbow Man www.rainbowman.com

Austin: Yard Dog Gallery www.yarddog.com

Scottsdale: The Bishop Gallery

El Paso: Postal Annex write: postalannex121@aol.com

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Books: 120 Songs of Tom Russell...with stories, chords, and woodcuts www.villagerecords.com Blue Horse/Red Desert: The Art of Tom Russell available at:

www.villagerecords.com and www.amazon.com

Tom Russell Tee Shirts: www.cypresscowboy.com/TomRussell.html

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Ranch and Reata! Ranch and Reata is the finest journal and magazine on the West. Great writing, music stories, and graphics. Bi-monthly essays by Tom Russell: on Tequila, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Falconry, The Wild West in Europe and many others....

subscribe at: www.ranchandreata.com

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Charles Bukowski: Tom's twenty year correspondence with Charles Bukowski, rare Bukowski poetry books and paintings and signed photos are all now in an archive up for sale at Ken Sanders Rare books in Salt Lake City. http://www.kensandersbooks.com/shop/rarebooks/index.html

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NEWS! World Tour and new double record coming early in 2015. Tom's "Ballad of the West," a monumental Folk Opera and the third part of his American Trilogy is coming soon...over 80 pieces of music, 25 new original songs and dozens of rare tracks, historic recordings and guest artistsL Augie Meyers, Gretchen Peters, Eliza Gilkyson, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Lead Belly and special surprise artists....

The USA tour begins in Spring 2015 and the UK and Ireland Tour in the Fall. Some dates are now up on www.tomrussell.com. Stay tuned.

FACEBOOK: Please sign up and like our facebook:https://www.facebook.com/russelltom for breaking news, songs, photos and breaking news.

Village Records! After so many fine years of association with Bill and Corky at Village Records - they will move on to new frontiers and close Village after September. They have offered some of the finest selections of singer-songwriter music over the years and done a great job handling our catalogue! Here's to their future and a great thanks to Bill and Corky.

Frontera Records will take over the catalogue in Ocotober and all records and books will be available through Frontera and also our website www.tomrussell.com and Amazon....as well as Proper records in Europe. Any questions on the catalogue, rarities, and current projects may be addressed to the head of Frontera: John Yuelkenbeck john@fronterarecords.com

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Lines from New Songs:

"Cowboys we are, cowboy we shall always be!" Pancho Villa

"Don't Let it end like this, tell 'em I said something...." Pancho Villas Last Words

"I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk....there's a difference...set em up, kid, and make it smart..." Stolen from Rosalie Sorrells

"He wasn't a bad kid....when he was sober." Tom Russell

Thanks for the support! See you on the road and in the joints! TR