Join us in Ursy Potter and Carter Hearn?s living room in McLean, Va. on Sunday evening, December 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm (a little earlier than usual) to listen to Tom Neilson, who crafts original songs and parodies that are always witty and sometimes satirical commentaries on the social and political scenes and issues that confront twenty-first century Americans.
Like Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger, Tom Neilson combines art with activism, writing and singing award-winning songs of humor and compassion that skewer the outrageous behavior of the greedy and powerful in corporations, the media, and government. His lyrics are celebrated for their sophistication, political astuteness, and wit. Tom Paxton concurs that both ?his music and politics are great.?
A veteran of stage and street theater with his writing, acting, and directing, Tom uses performance art when working with young people to address drug and alcohol use, sexuality, diversity, and social issues. His songs are both historical and contemporary, with topics ranging from the Napoleonic Wars to the cosmetics industry. At the college level, he teaches ?Music As Social History.? With his songs used in nine documentaries, he tells the stories of people?s struggles against greed and violence, interjecting a good deal of levity along the way. Tom has been at the forefront in helping communities organize against water privatization, mountain top removal, nuclear energy, incinerators, fracking, and toxic waste. An educator and basketball coach, his songs have been performed in 20 countries on 5 continents.
Tom Neilson was born on a dairy farm and raised with long days in the barns and hayfields of upstate NY. He left the US for South America in 1970 during Vietnam. Returning to the states in 1985, he wrote a doctoral dissertation that was rooted in his work with the United Nations in Somalia. A dozen years of experiences outside the U.S, mostly in Africa and South America, are reflected in his songs. Says Hilljoy Records, ?he is both thoughtful and savvy and a very skilled crafter of social commentary.? Radio host, Michael Stock of WLRN in Miami, FL sums it up that Tom ?does a great job of reminding people of what is really important, and the power of folk music to say it.?
Ursy Potter and Carter Hearn?s place is in McLean, Virginia, just a few blocks off the Western side of the Beltway close to the Potomac River. Ursy declares that you don?t need to make a reservation?somehow her listening room has always expanded infinitely to accommodate the audiences that gather there. But if you do want to reach her for driving directions or other information, she can be reached at 703-821-1373 or by e-mail.
