Tom Dundee (1946–2006) was a

singer/songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk-acoustic tradition, although this role has transmuted thr ...

born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. He began his career in

Corrales, New Mexico Corrales is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. First farmed by Tiquex Pueblo people, chosen due to its proximity to the Rio Grande, as documented by Hispano farmers of Nuevo México in the late 1500s. Despite being a part ...

in 1969. A year later he became a principal member of the Chicago folk scene that spawned such performers as

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

Steve Goodman Steven Benjamin Goodman (July 25, 1948 – September 20, 1984) was an American folk and country singer-songwriter from Chicago. He wrote the song "City of New Orleans", which was recorded by Arlo Guthrie and many others including John Denver, ...

, Mick Scott, and

Bonnie Koloc Bonnie Koloc (born February 6, 1946) is an American folk music singer-songwriter, actress and artist. She was considered one of the three main Illinois-based folk singers in the 1970s, along with Steve Goodman and John Prine forming the "trinity ...

. In the 1980s, Dundee performed throughout the

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

Music Scene and in the 1990s recorded out of

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. Dundee is best known for his song "A Delicate Balance." He composed over 300 songs, and recorded with such notables as Timothy B. Schmit, Stephanie Davis,

Rita Coolidge Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on '' Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and t ...

and

Paul Barrere Paul Barrere (July 3, 1948 – October 26, 2019) was an American musician most prominent as a member of the band Little Feat, which he joined in 1972 some three years after the band was created by Lowell George. Career Barrere recorded and per ...

. Tom was a close friend and protégé of Steve Goodman, who gave him the guitar on which Steve had composed "The City of New Orleans." According to the

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

obituary of April 20, 2006, "At the time of his death, Mr. Dundee was a linchpin of the 1970s Chicago folk boom that produced John Prine, Steve Goodman, Bonnie Koloc and

Jim Post Jimmie David Post (October 28, 1939 – September 14, 2022) was an American folk singer-songwriter, composer, playwright and actor. In 1968 his pop song " Reach out of the Darkness" charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 14 weeks, peaking ...

, who covered 'A Delicate Balance.'" In concert, Dundee delighted in taking chances with his audience, letting the spontaneity of the moment shape the personality of his show every time out. He joked with his audience, drew them out of themselves with his music, and wove stories in and out of his songs. As a result, his shows, which typically included some of the oldest chestnuts imaginable as well as Dundee's own compositions, almost always felt fresh. He died in the Chicago, Illinois neighborhood of

Rogers Park Rogers Park is the first of Chicago's 77 community areas. Located from the Loop, it is on the city's far north side on the shore of Lake Michigan. The neighborhood is commonly known for its cultural diversity, lush green public spaces, early ...

on April 18, 2006, of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident.

Discography

* A Delicate Balance * Right Lane Man * Roadmap * Rough Around the Edge * Lyfe Tyme Arhyme * Tom Dundee

Obituary

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Obituary by Nancy Emrich Wednesday, April 19, 2006 Tom Dundee, 59 – Chicago's Own Troubadour of the Heart Deep within there is a feeling That love and understanding's the door, And honesty is the key that was given to you and me To open it and so many more. -- Tom Dundee, "A Delicate Balance" Tom Dundee would be the first to tell you he wasn't a folk singer. (Though that will surprise his worldwide folk audiences.) He was a singer songwriter. Better yet he was Chicago's truth teller. Never stridently, rarely loudly. He whispered the news of our lives that really mattered. It was musical poetry mixed with candor, astute humor, understating – always - his immense musical skill. You won't find a website for Tom Dundee. Maybe another line from his best known song "A Delicate Balance" covers the way Tom saw the world. "To worry does nothing but steals from the loving and robs from the pleasure that's there." And so he didn't worry his career along. He let it unfold. A staple of the Chicago music scene since the 1960s, his four decades performing built sustainable loyalty in his audiences. A private party gig in Montana grew into a nine-year annual event. A house concert in Wilmette became an annual festival. A single word placed carefully about the quality of a young singer sparked a band and a CD. A troupe of Chicagoans followed him at every local gig. The songs bore repetition well and his intelligence and curiosity fed his patter between songs. His songs spoke of friendship and he lived it. A lifelong friend of Earl Pionke, "The Earl of Old Town," Dundee was part of the core of singer songwriters who created the Old Town scene in Chicago in the 1970s: Steve Goodman, John Prine, Fred Holstein, Michael Smith. The famous clubs of the time Holstein's, Wise Fools and Somebody's Else's Troubles formed the backdrop for the music and humor and the life of the Chicago music community. Tom Dundee knew how to connect the dots. Someone here, someone there, a dash of Dundee and things began to happen. His caring for his audiences enfolded them early in the evening and then, carried by his guitar, songs, stories and humor, the audience would leave wanting more. His gossamer songwriting touch and master musicianship built him a career touring nationally, and in Europe. He lived and worked variously in New Mexico, California, Nevada, Washington State. His twang and country music lilt developed while he was in Nashville where he eventually recorded his self-named CD and Lyfe Tyme Arhyme both produced by Mark Elliott for Flyte Records. But he was Chicago born and bred, returning here after every loop of adventure and performances. In recent years Tom was a touring member of the Weavers tribute group "Weavermania." Where he worked with Michael Smith, Barbara Barrow, Mark Dvorak, Chris Walz and others. When he was off stage, Dundee's quiet attention to detail often placed him in the seat behind the sound board helping friends sound better or sometimes he would use his carpentering skills to build a speaker rack in a venue or a client's deck. He'd turn up unexpectedly to ask a question and stay to solve a problem that interested him. All the while his records quietly sold, his songs inspired public sculpture, his tunes played on elevators across the world. Dundee's most recent project was the show called "Somebody Else's Troubles," a showcase of the established musicians from Jim Craig, Kat Eggleston, Corky Seigel and James Lee Stanley blended with newer talent that he thought deserved attention like Donna Adler and Gabrielle Schafer. This show was presented in various venues like the Folk Series at Bill's Blues in Evanston and Lilly's on Lincoln over the past three years. But it all stopped last weekend after a motorcycle accident early Saturday morning and Dundee's death April 18 from resulting complications. A musical memorial tribute evening is planned on a date to be announced. He is survived by his partner Rhonda Perkins and several cousins. Copyright Chicago Tribune photo by friend Tony Beazley

References

External links

Chicago Tribune web tribute to Dundee posted after his death
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dundee, Tom American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters American folk singers 2006 deaths 1946 births 20th-century American singers People from Corrales, New Mexico 20th-century American male singers Folk musicians from New Mexico Folk musicians from Chicago 21st-century American singers 21st-century American male singers Singers from Chicago Singers from New Mexico Songwriters from New Mexico Singer-songwriters from Illinois