Big Tom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Big Tom
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Big Tom in November 2004
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tom McBride |
| Also known as | Big Tom |
| Born | 18 September 1936 Oram, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, Ireland |
| Died | 17 April 2018 (aged 81) Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1966–2018 |
| Associated acts | Big Tom and The Mainliners |
Tom McBride (born September 18, 1936 – died April 17, 2018), known as Big Tom, was a famous Irish singer. He sang country, traditional Irish, and easy listening music. Big Tom also played the guitar and saxophone.
He had a very long music career, lasting over 50 years! He started in 1966 as the lead singer of an Irish band called Big Tom and The Mainliners.
Contents
Big Tom's Music Journey
Big Tom was a very popular musician in Ireland. He often went on tours to perform for his fans.
In February 2008, Big Tom started a 12-show tour across Ireland. Later that year, he performed at the closing night of the Galtymore dance hall in London. He also headlined the London's Irish Festival in July. In November, he was the main act at the Claremorris Dance Festival.
In 2009, Big Tom and The Mainliners had more shows in Ireland. Their tour from August to September was very successful. Many fans came to see them perform. A special moment was a packed concert in his hometown of Castleblayney. The tour ended in Ennis, County Clare.
Big Tom continued to perform with his band until he passed away in 2018.
Life Outside the Stage
Big Tom lived in Oram, a small place near Castleblayney. People often saw him around town. He would travel to the local shop on his horse, tractor, or even a quad bike!
He was known for being very kind and giving his time. He always took part in the Oram St Patrick's Day Parade. He also supported many local football events. There is a large painting of Big Tom on a wall in the Oram Community Centre.
Big Tom had a fear of flying. Because of this, he once traveled across the Atlantic Ocean by sea. This was in 1980, so he could record his Blue Wings album in Nashville.
Big Tom was married to his wife, Rose McBride. She passed away in January 2018, just a few months before him.
Big Tom's Popular Songs
Big Tom had many songs that became big hits in Ireland. Here are some of his Top 10 songs:
| Title | Highest Position | Date Entered Chart | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentle Mother | 7 | January 30, 1967 | Big Tom and The Mainliners |
| Old Log Cabin for Sale | 4 | October 21, 1967 | |
| The Sunset Years of Life | 3 | July 23, 1970 | |
| Broken Marriage Vows | 1 | February 19, 1972 | |
| I Love You Still | 1 | January 4, 1973 | |
| Old Love Letters | 1 | May 16, 1974 | |
| Four Country Roads | 5 | May 16, 1981 | Big Tom |
| Streets of Dublin City | 7 | November 15, 1981 | |
| If I Needed You | 10 | March 18, 1984 | |
| Jealous Heart | 9 | April 7, 1984 |
Music Albums
Big Tom released many albums throughout his career.
Vinyl Albums
Before 1990, most of Big Tom's music was released on vinyl records or cassette tapes. These older albums are now hard to find.
| Title | Artist | Year | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| The All Time Hits of | Big Tom and The Mainliners | Emerald | |
| Little Bit of Country and Irish | 1969 | ||
| From Ireland | 1970 | ||
| I'll Settle For Old Ireland | 1971 | ||
| Requests! | 1972 | Denver | |
| Image of Me | |||
| Ashes of Love | |||
| Smoke Along The Track | |||
| Souvenirs | 1975 | ||
| When The Roses Bloom Again | Big Tom & The Travellers | 1975 | |
| Travel On | 1977 | ||
| I Would Like To See You Again | 1978 | ||
| At The Irish Festival | 1979 | ||
| Blue Wings | Big Tom | 1980 | |
| Four Country Roads | Big Tom & The Travellers | 1981 | |
| Songs From Home and Faraway | 1982 | ||
| Teardrops in the Snow | 1985 | ||
| Around Ireland | 1986 |
Compilation Vinyl Albums
These albums collected some of Big Tom's best songs.
| Title | Artist | Year | Record label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favourites | 1980 | K-Tel | |
| The Heart of Country Music | Denver | ||
| King of Country Music – Volume 1 | Big Tom | 1977 | |
| King of Country Music – Volume 2 | |||
| King of Country Music – Volume 3 | |||
| King of Country Music – Volume 4 | |||
| King of Country Music – Volume 5 | |||
| King of Country Music – Volume 6 | |||
| Hits by the Dozen |
CD Albums
Since 1990, Big Tom's music has been released on CDs. Many CD albums feature songs that were first on vinyl. Some CDs have new recordings.
| Title | Artist | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Today ** | Big Tom and The Mainliners | c.1990 |
| Greatest hits | c.1991 | |
| 20 Golden Greats | 1992 | |
| Out on Their Own * | 1993 | |
| The Sweetest Gift * | 1995 | |
| Songs I Like To Sing | Big Tom | c.1996 |
| 25 Golden Greats | 1996 | |
| Souvenirs | c.1998 | |
| Blue Wings (In Nashville) | c.1999 | |
| The Irish Collection | 1999 | |
| The Very Best of Irish Country | 1999 | |
| Smoke Along The Track | c.2000 | |
| When The Roses Bloom Again | 2002 | |
| The Same Way You Came In ** | Big Tom with Seamus McMahon | 2005 |
| Teardrops in the Snow | Big Tom | April 2007 |
| Around Ireland ** | March 2008 | |
| Ashes of Love | Big Tom and The Mainliners | August 2009 |
| Four Country Roads | Big Tom and The Travellers | August 2009 |
| The Image of Me | Big Tom and The Mainliners | August 2009 |
| Requests | August 2009 | |
| Live at The Galtymore | June 2010 | |
| I am an Island * | November 2010 | |
| Songs From Home & Faraway | Big Tom | October 2011 |
| Travel On | Big Tom and The Travellers | October 2012 |
| Lonesome at Your Table | Big Tom and the Mainliners | April 2013 |
| The Ultimate Collection vol.1 | Big Tom | Due April 2014 |
In 2009, Big Tom also recorded a song called Treasured Memories with Frank Nelson.
Videos and DVDs
You can also find Big Tom's performances on video and DVD. These include live shows from different places.
- Live at the Glencarn Hotel, Castleblayney
- Live at the Galtymore, London
- In Concert at the Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen
- The Sweetest Gift
- The Very Best of (Compilation)
- Back to Castleblayney, Live
- Galtymore 2004, Live
- Live in Birmingham and Manchester
- Live in Castlebar 2008 (featuring The London Irish Festival)
- Big Tom and the Mainliners – A Celebration (2016)
Big Tom's Legacy
Big Tom left a lasting mark on Irish music.
In July 2005, a special plaque was put up in his hometown of Castleblayney. This was done by the local community to honor him.
In 2016, Big Tom and the original Mainliners went on a tour. This tour celebrated 50 years since their popular song "Gentle Mother" was released. They continued this summer tour from May to September.
In June 2016, Big Tom was the very first artist to be added to the Irish Country Music Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was to Irish country music.
The singer Susan McCann had a hit song in 1977 called Big Tom Is Still The King. This song showed how much Big Tom was admired in the music world.
Images for kids
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Big Tom in November 2004
