Harrison Thorp 9:52 a.m.
Sunday, March 16, 2025 9:52 am
|
When renowned folk and blues singer Tom Rush comes to the Rochester Opera House this Friday he said he'll be opening with one of his favorite songs, "Making the Best of a Bad Situation" and ending the concert with "I Quit."
Beyond that, he really doesn't know how the show will unfold, he told The Rochester Voice in a telephone interview last week.
"I get a lot of requests for songs, sometimes for a story, like 'Tell us the one abut the guy in New Hampshire,' he said. "I like to fool around."
Rush, actually, was born in Portsmouth, raised in Concord and began playing out in earnest in Cambridge, Mass., when he was going to Harvard in the '60s.
Now after 65 years of singing in coffeehouses, clubs and recording studios, he's got a voluminous collection of songs in his head that he can play on the spot.
One funny song he said he might play on Friday is "It takes a lot of liquor to like her."
"I wrote that song, I can't remember when," he said. "No wait a minutes, no, I didn't write that song."
Which reminds this writer of one of his best-recognized songs, "The Remember Song," which always gets a lot of laughs from audiences.
Rush has promoted several music greats, including Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor by covering their songs early in their careers.
He said when he goes on stage now - during his 65th Farewell Tour, he jokes - he doesn't worry too much about how it goes.
"I get paid to have a good time, it's a pretty good gig," he said. "What the audience wants is connection, not perfection."
With his warm voice, dry humor and wit, Rush, now 84, is still coming into his own.
His newest album is "Gardens Old, Flowers New and features 14 new songs.
He said his songs on Friday will include some from his new album as well as many of his biggest hits like "No Regrets," "The Circle Game" and "Merrimac County."
Accompanying Rush on stage will be Seth Glier, whom he calls a "monster talent" who plays the guitar and piano.
The show starts at 8 p.m.
To purchase tickets click here