Thomas "Tom T." Hall (born May 25, 1936 in Olive Hill, Kentucky) is an American country music songwriter, singer, novelist, and short-story writer. He has written 11 No. 1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the Top 10, including the No. 1 international pop crossover smash "Harper Valley PTA" and the hit "I Love", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. He became known to fans as "The Storyteller," thanks to his storytelling skills in his songwriting.
Biography
As a teenager, Hall organized a band called the Kentucky Travelers that performed before movies for a traveling theater. During a stint in the Army, Hall performed over the Armed Forces Radio Network and wrote comic songs about Army experiences. His early career included being a radio announcer at WRON, a local radio station in Ronceverte, West Virginia. Hall was also an announcer at WSPZ, which later became WVRC Radio in Spencer, West Virginia in the 1960s.
Hall's big songwriting break came in 1963, when country singer Jimmy C. Newman recorded his song, "DJ For a Day." Soon, Hall moved to Nashville, arriving in 1964 with $46 and a guitar; within months he had songs climbing the charts. Hall has been nicknamed "The Storyteller," and he has written songs for dozens of country stars, including Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, and Bobby Bare.
Podcasts:
Tom T. Hall
ALBUMS
- In Search of a Song / The Rhymer and Other Five and Dimers released: 2005
- The Ultimate Collection released: 2001
- 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Tom T. Hall released: 2000
- The Best Of released: 1999
- The Essential: Story Songs released: 1998
- The Hits released: 1997
- Home Grown released: 1997
- Songs From Sopchoppy released: 1996
- Storyteller, Poet, Philosopher released: 1995
- Country Songs for Kids released: 1989
- Saturday Morning Songs released: 1979
- New Train - Same Rider released: 1978
- Places I've Done Time released: 1978
- About Love released: 1977
- The Magnificent Music Machine released: 1976
- Faster Horses released: 1976
- I Wrote A Song About It released: 1975
- Country Is released: 1974
- The Rhymer And Other Five And Dimers released: 1973
- For the People in the Last Hard Town released: 1973
- We All Got Together And ... released: 1972
- The Storyteller released: 1972
- Greatest Hits released: 1972
- 100 Children released: 1971
- In Search of a Song released: 1971
- Homecoming released: 1969
- Ballad of Forty Dollars and His Other Great Songs released: 1968
- Songs of Fox Hollow: For Children of All Ages released:
- 100 Children / I Witness Life released:
- Ol' T's in Town released:
- Ballad of Forty Dollars released:
- The Country Store Collection released:
- Country Songs for Children released:
- Greatest Hits, Volume II released:
- Greatest Hits, Volumes 1 & 2 released:
In Search of a Song / The Rhymer and Other Five and Dimers
Released 2005- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
- Who's Gonna Feed Them Hogs
- Trip to Hyden
- Tulsa Telephone Book
- It Sure Can Get Cold in Des Moines
- The Little Lady Preacher
- L.A. Blues
- Kentucky Feb. 27, '71
- A Million Miles to the City
- Second Handed Flowers
- Ramona's Revenge
- Ravishing Ruby
- Don't Forget the Coffee Billy Joe
- Spokane Motel Blues
- Looking Forward to Seeing You Again
- I Flew Over Our House Last Night
- Another Town
- Too Many Do-Goods
- A Song for Uncle Curt
- The Man Who Hated Freckles
- Candy in the Window
- Old Five and Dimers Like Me
- Hello, We're Lonely
- We're Not Getting Old
The Ultimate Collection
Released 2001- Ballad of Forty Dollars
- Homecoming
- A Week in County Jail
- Shoeshine Man
- Salute to a Switchblade
- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
- Me and Jesus
- Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine
- Ravishing Ruby
- I Love
- That Song Is Driving Me Crazy
- Country Is
- I Care
- Deal
- I Like Beer
- Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet)
- Fox on the Run
- Your Man Loves You, Honey
- What Have You Got to Lose
- The Old Side of Town
- Jesus on the Radio (Daddy on the Phone)
- You Show Me Your Heart (And I'll Show You Mine)
- Harper Valley PTA
- PS - I Love You
The Best Of
Released 1999- Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine
- Ballad of Forty Dollars
- Homecoming
- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
- I Love
- Margie's at the Lincoln Park Inn
- Ravishing Ruby
- I Like Beer
- A Week in a Country Jail
- Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
- Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet)
- I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew
- Old Five and Dimers Like Me
- That's How I Got to Memphis
- Shoeshine Man
- Nashville Is a Groovy Little Town
- I Took a Memory to Lunch
- I Can't Dance
The Essential: Story Songs
Released 1998- The Year Clayton Delaney Died
- It Sure Can Get Cold in Des Moines
- Ravishing Ruby
- The Little Lady Preacher
- A Week in a County Jail
- Ballad of Forty Dollars
- The Hitchhiker
- Who's Gonna Feed Them Hogs
- Salute to a Switchblade
- Turn It on, Turn It on, Turn It on
- Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine
- Coot Marseilles Blues
- Don't Forget the Coffee Billy Joe
- Homecoming
- Trip to Hyden
- The Ballad of Bill Crump
- Second Handed Flowers
- She Gave Her Heart to Jethro
- Pay No Attention to Alice
- Before Jessie Died
Storyteller, Poet, Philosopher
Released 1995- Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine
- Magnificent Music Machine
- A Million Miles to the City
- I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew
- The Hitch-Hiker
- Ballad of Forty Dollars
- I Hope It Rains at My Funeral
- Turn It On, Turn It On, Turn It On
- Strawberry Farms
- Watergate Blues
- I Want to See the Parade
- 100 Children
- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
- The Son of Clayton Delaney
- The Old Side of Town
- I Can't Dance
- Last of the Drifters
- Mama Bake a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken)
- A Week in a Country Jail
- Spokane Motel Blues
- Homecoming
- Ravishing Ruby
- Hello, We're Lonely
- Down at the Mall
- Fox on the Run
About Love
Released 1977- Your Man Loves You, Honey
- A Whole Lot Of Love
- And I Love You So
- The Little Green Flower With The Yellow On Top
- Lovin' Arms
- Time Takes Care Of A Few Things (Love Takes Care Of The Rest)
- Goodbye Cowgirl
- One Of The Mysteries Of Life
- It's All In The Game
- Happy Groundhog Day
- I Still Care What Happens To You
- The Way We Were
The Storyteller
Released 1972- More About John Henry
- When Nobody Wants Your Body Anymore
- Windy City Anne
- The Story Of Your Life Is In Your Face
- Willy The Wandering Gispsy And Me
- St.Louis Named A Shoe After Me
- Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine
- The Rolling Mills Of Middletown
- Grandma Whistled
- A Piece Of The Road
- One More Song For Jesus
100 Children / I Witness Life
- Salute to a Switchblade
- Thank You, Connersville, Indiana
- Do It to Someone You Love
- The Ballad of Billy Crump
- All You Want When You Please
- Chattanooga Dog
- Girls in Saigon City
- Hang Them All (Get The Guilty)
- Coming to the Party
- America the Ugly
- That'll Be Alright With Me
- One Hundred Children
- I Can't Dance
- I Want to See the Parade
- Sing a Little Baby to Sleep
- Mama Bake Me a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken)
- Ode to Half a Pound of Ground Round
- Pinto the Wonder Horse Is Dead
- I Hope It Rains at My Funeral
- I Took a Memory to Lunch
- The Hitch-Hiker
- Old Enough to Want You
Ol' T's in Town
- The Last Country Song
- Old Habits Die Hard
- Jesus on the Radio (Daddy on the Phone)
- The Old Side of Town
- Greed Kills More People Than Whiskey
- You Show Me Your Heart (And I'll Show You Mine)
- The Different Feeling
- Girl You Sure Know How to Say Goodbye
- What Do You Mean When You Say Goodbye
- I Left You Some Kisses on the Door
Country Songs for Children
- I Love
- Sneaky Snake
- The Mysterious Fox of Fox Hollow
- How to Talk to a Little Baby Goat
- The Barn Dance
- Ole Lonesome George the Basset
- I Wish I Had a Million Friends
- Everybody Loves to Hear a Bird Sing
- I Like to Feel Pretty Inside
- The Song of the One Legged Chicken
- I Care
- Let's Go Shopping Today
- Fox Hollow's Animal Train
- The Dancing Tree
- Let's Play Remember
- Randy Raccoon
- The Duck and the Rooster
- You Are a Star (Brittni's Song)
Greatest Hits, Volumes 1 & 2
- Homecoming
- Shoeshine Man
- I Miss a Lot of Trains
- Salute to a Switchblade
- I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew
- Ballad of Forty Dollars
- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
- That's How I Got to Memphis
- A Week in a Country Jail
- One Hundred Children
- Me and Jesus
- Country Is
- I Love
- The Little Lady Preacher
- Sneaky Snake
- I Like Beer
- Ravishing Ruby
- Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine
- Deal
- Who's Gonna Feed Them Hogs
- That Song Is Driving Me Crazy
- I Care
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by Fray
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by Tenacious D
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by Vienna Teng
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by Idlewild
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by The Fray
City Hall
by: FrayThe city hall in my mind, met last night
Rumors of reelection started to fly
It's my funeral today, my funeral today
I laid it down Underneath the sound
It's my principle concern, my principle concern is what you say
But I wanted it this way.
Cause I'm throwin down without a fight
You're more than welcome to look around
Consult your checklist go underground
I'll claim a stake here inside the frame
But I'm going under another way
I won't return after today
So I'm at liberty to say what's on my mind
And it some I like
You can't watch me, you can't make me like before
When I was yours when all I wanted was the door
So I'm throwin down without a fight
You're more than welcome to look around
Consult your checklist go underground
I'll claim a stake here inside the frame
But I'm going under another way
Decision on the dock head
Make up your mind and if you get consensus
Drop me a line
The city hall in my mind, got together last night