Tom Winslow

Thomas Griffin Winslow (November 13, 1940 – October 23, 2010)

While he toured throughout the United States, he continued to perform in Upstate New York until shortly before his death at the age of 69.^[1] His children are the performing artists Thomasina Winslow and Gary T Winslow.

Early career

As a teenager, Winslow learned to play guitar from his grandfather, Thomas Winslow.^[1] He was a band member of the Reverend Gary Davis, a country-folk musician from the first half of the 20th century. He toured throughout the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, sometimes as a solo act, as well as with his family act, The Winslows. In the 1960s, he worked at Vassar College in the equestrian program,^[1] and off-season, as a construction worker at Albany, New York's Empire State Plaza.^{[citation needed]}

"Hey Looka Yonder (It's the Clearwater)"

Winslow's great enduring fame comes from penning and performing the now-classic

• It was the first
  African-American songwriter, predating "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
  " by two full years.
• It was
  Peter Seeger
  's and Tom Winslow's major collaboration.
• It was first recording by The Winslows - which included Tom Winslow's entire family, including toddler Thomasina Winslow, now a blues singer in her own right, singing and playing instruments in the background.

A huge hit for a musical tradition outside of the popular music mainstream, the album and single of "It's the Clearwater" are coveted still by collectors of old-time folk music.^[5]

Folk music circuit

Winslow was part of the folk music circuit for four decades.^[1] His music has been described as "classic blues and spirituals" by "a seasoned craftsman".^[6]

Tom is an old-school country bluesman, picking and singing in a classic style. He studied with Rev. Gary Davis, collaborated with Pete Seeger, and released an album on the Biograph label. He first came to Saratoga to work with the horses and has for many years enjoyed playing gigs around the area, including at Lena's.

— Caffe Lena Web site

Winslow was a mentor for a number of musicians, including his children and Guy Davis.^[1]

Later career

By the early 2000s he did not travel far from his home in New Baltimore, New York, due to care-taking for his wife, Edral, who died in January 2007.^[1][7]

He played frequently at the People's Voices Cafe on 33rd St. in New York City in the 1980s.^[8][9] He has also performed at the Towne Crier Cafe in Beekman, New York.^[10] His music has been played on WFMU's program, Shrunken Planet.^[11]

In 2001, he performed at a Lincoln Center's "Out of Doors" Reverend Gary Davis tribute show, performing with an all-star line-up.^[12]

He performed at least annually at the