Bio

The bohemian son of a family steeped in Alaska politics and the product of a life of music and art, Tom Begich ’s music and poetry resonates with the stories and the conflicts of the human condition.

Part of the Alaska music scene in the early 1980’s, Tom dropped out and tuned in to the world of politics and business for a decade before finding his way back to local coffee shops, street corners, and music festivals. Since returning to performing and recording, Tom has opened for recording artists Kelly Joe Phelps, Anne McCue, Samarabalouf, the Santa Cruz River Band, Tim Mason, Stephen Fearing, Don Morrell, Paul Geremia, Randall Williams, Terry Holder, and Kim Richey. Tom also hosted a monthly Songwriter’s Showcase in his hometown of Anchorage for three years and has appeared on XM Radio and performed live on numerous radio stations and on the nationally syndicated radio shows “West Coast Live" and "River City Folk".

Tom has released four CDs, "Such a World" in 1997, "Hotel Metropol" in 1999, “Albuquerque Road” in 2001, and “Cool Blue Light” in 2004/2005. Tom is in the studio now with his two latest CD projects, "Fulton Street Rain" and an as yet untitled compilation of music and spoken word with poet Tim Mason as the Bone Collectors-- both expected for release in 2010. His first book of poetry, "Six Truths: 50 Sonnets" is set for publication at the same time.

Tom continues to perform both his music and poetry throughout the country, preferring smaller venuse and more intimate audiences. Citing musicians as different as Taj Mahal, Harry Chapin, and Christopher Parkening as influences, Tom combines an easy picking style with blues rhythms and storytelling skill to create a musical montage that is always interesting to the ear. His music includes a wide-variety of music ranging from acoustic instrumentals to blues and folk rock. A musician with a wholly original sound, Tom Begich will keep you humming for more long after he’s done.

"My goal is to reach people where they live.  My songs and my poetry speak to that. They reflect a life devoted to our community, and designed to move us further down the road... to change minds and lives. Over the next decades my aim is to get that message across through music, poetry and the story-telling I use to weave the two together..."