Tom McBride (1936 - 2018), known as Big Tom, was a famed and loved Irish country singer with a career spanning over five decades. He started his showbusiness journey in 1966 when he became the frontman of the Irish showband, Big Tom & The Mainliners. Tom, a native of the small town of Castleblayney in County Monaghan, deep in the Irish midlands, had three number 1 chart hits in the 1970's and many other top 10 hits including Gentle Mother, Four Country Roads and The Same Way You Came In. Many of Tom's most successful songs were written by prolific Donegal man and Denver Records founder, Johnny McCauley. Tom joined the Denver Records label as a featured artist following his early releases through Emerald Records prior to 1971.
Tom continued to release huge selling albums with The Mainliners, and later The Travellers, throughout the 70's and 80's. Tom reunited with members of The Mainliners for tour dates around Ireland and the UK in 2008.
This song is also on the Blue Wings album recorded in Nashville, all of which were written by Johnny McCauley. In an interview Big Tom once said that if the album was recorded at home with his own band it would have been every bit as successful if not more successful than the Nashville recorded one. I think this recording has a more fuller sound and musical content, that's not to take away from the session musicians in Nashville, they are among the best in the world, the home produced material can be every bit as good and I think Big Tom made a fair point.
I can't believe all the comments. Keyboards, drummer and bass-player are good but the rest of the musicians and singer are basic pub-group fare. The guitarist sounds as if he got his first guitar last week.
Hallo Ireland my name is John duggan. Big to I started to bigtom xxxxxx since I wos 45 never noo bigtom still liserning to the gourgest boutyfull songs of bigtom
