US singer-songwriter Tom Russell for Monroe’s concert

Acclaimed American singer, songwriter and master storyteller, Tom Russell, will be returning to Galway as part of his forthcoming Irish tour, performing on 12 July at Monroe’s Live. 

 For over three decades and 28 albums, Russell has blazed a trail in Americana and his songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, Nanci Griffith, Dave Alvin and Joe Ely, among others.

Russell’s latest release, Aztec Jazz was recorded live in concert with the 32-piece Norwegian Wind Ensemble and incorporates elements of jazz, folk, Tex-Mex and classical music. His previous two releases Blood and Candle Smoke (2009) and Mesabi (2011) were considered his strongest composed works yet and were, in part, recorded with groundbreaking roots band, Calexico.  

He has also written two folk operas, The Man from God Knows Where (1999) and Hotwalker (2005), has composed movie scores, published five books and is also an accomplished fine artist. 

“My career seems to have gone in the opposite direction from a lot of people whose notoriety came over their first half dozen records,” says Russell. “Mine didn’t. My career built very slowly, and then I moved to El Paso in 1997, further outside than anybody could imagine, By not plugging into the machine, the records I’ve made in the past 10 years have been my strongest and most outside records. It seems that the older I get, the more I’ve been able to keep on the outside.” 

Aztec Jazz features many of his classic songs and he will be performing these on tour, where he will be accompanied by guitarist Thad Beckman.

Tickets for his show in Monroe’s are €20 and it starts at 8.30pm sharp. For more information, visit www.monroes.ie.