"An uncanny sense of place that advertises him as one of the remaining guardians of a dwindling narrative sensibility." —Associated Press

Singer-songwriter Tom Russell was born in Los Angeles in 1950 and now makes his home on the border of El Paso-Juarez. A writer, painter and musician, he began his music career in the bars of Vancouver's skid row. With 20 albums of original material to his credit, including the 2005 classic homage to his friend Charles Bukowski, Hotwalker, Russell's songs have appeared in a dozen films and have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith, Doug Sahm, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, Ian Tyson and others. He is credited, along with Dave Alvin, with establishing the Americana radio format with their co-produced 1994 tribute to Merle Haggard, Tulare Dust.