Tom Dundee Passes
James Lee Stanley writes:
Chicago singer/songwriter Tom Dundee died today as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on the evening of Friday, April 14th, 2006.
He was a wonderful performer, raconteur and songwriter and the community and the world will be a less wonderful place without him. Please contact James Lee Stanley at james@jamesleestanley.com if you are interested in creating a memorial concert.
Also anyone who wants to add more about Tom, his life and music please feel free to add a comment. -Ken
Update 4/19: Rich Warren has graciously allowed me to reprint an obituary that he wrote for use on WFMT.
Tom Dundee, a noted and much loved Chicago singer-songwriter, died Tuesday night at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. He succumbed to injuries suffered late Saturday night in a motorcycle accident on the north side of Chicago near his Rogers Park home.
Tom Dundee became a respected artist on the Chicago folk scene during the early 1970s in the burgeoning era of singer-songwriters. After his song “A Delicate Balance” brought him recognition as one of the best writers and performers in the mid-1970s, he frequently performed at the Earl of Old Town and Somebody Else’s Troubles. He spent time living in Seattle during the 1980s and Nashville in the 1990s, but he inevitably returned to Chicago, where his homecoming was always warmly welcomed. Known for his affable demeanor and smooth delivery, his songs always contained a kernel of wit and wisdom. He also was a founding member of Weavermania, which he left in 2004. As Hogeye Folk Arts, Limited put in its flyer: “He delivers a performance with the kind of nuances that leave his audience sensing it experienced something special.” Dundee was regularly heard on WFMT’s The Midnight Special.
During the past few years Tom Dundee hosted other artists in performance at a number of Chicago venues in a monthly concert series attempting to recreate the memorable ambience of Somebody Else’s Troubles. He also actively performed himself and was featured on The Midnight Special New Year’s Eve celebration in 2005. Although he lived in Rogers Park, Dundee, who was 59, toured frequently and supplemented his songwriting career as a carpenter and contractor in the building trades, frequently working for extended periods on the West Coast.
- Rich Warren
- “The Midnight Special” and “Folkstage”
- WFMT Radio - 98.7 FM / syndicated and on XM Satellite Radio
- 5400 N. St. Louis, Chicago, Illinois 60625
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Steve Key April 19th, 2006 at 7:08 am #
I shared a bill with Tom once at the Cafe Carpe in Wisconsin, circa 1992. Tom showed up with his right hand in a cast, apparently from an injury on the basketball court (same court where Bryan Bowers sustained an injury, he told me). What impressed me was that Tom played his show without referring to his injury once. He was able to finger pick his songs — I remember his opening ballad, James Taylor’s “Sarah Maria”. At that time, he seemed like an easygoing master of his craft. I am very saddened to hear of his passing.
Steve Key, Silver Spring MD
Bonny in NM May 16th, 2006 at 10:34 am #
There is a lot of wonderful memories of Tom at this site:
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/newscolumnistsezorn/2006/04/tomdundee1946.html
Ken May 16th, 2006 at 8:29 pm #
Bonny, thanks for sharing the link. There are indeed lots of wonderful reminiscences there.
Scott, That’s a great story thanks (belatedly) for sharing it.