Stompin' Tom: Before the Fame

Jack S. Broumpton is an assistant professor of music at Huntington
College, Laurentian

University.

This autobiography by the well-known Canadian singer–songwriter covers
the first 31 years of his life. Connors is usually portrayed as a
straight-talking, honest, and forthright individual, and this book
confirms that notion. Though it may be difficult to give credence to the
amount of detail Connors brings to the description of the colorful
people, places, and events he has encountered along the way, his story
is engaging. The value of the account is that it speaks directly to the
person Connors is today; that is to say, the stage persona of Stompin’
Tom is not very different from the private person. At the same time, his
story chronicles the interesting evolution of a true folksinger whose
style of topical songwriting, stemming from American “event songs”
and English broadside ballads, led him to become a commercially
successful artist. Though the length of the book may be daunting for the
casual reader, devoted fans will undoubtedly enjoy the anecdotal trip as
Stompin’ Tom travels from coast to coast. The book includes a
discography with album release dates.