Tom Lewis (born 1943) is a British singer and writer of nautical songs.

Biography

Lewis was born in Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

, Northern Ireland and grew up in Gloucester

Gloucester

Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....

, England. He served in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 from 1959 until 1983, mostly in the (diesel) Submarine Service.

He developed his interest in sea shanties

Sea shanty

A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...

 while frequenting the Howff Folk Song Club of Dunfermline

Dunfermline

Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...

, Scotland, in the 1960s, and began to perform at clubs and festivals in his off-time. On completing his naval service, he emigrated to Salmo, British Columbia

Salmo, British Columbia

Salmo is a village in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the Salmo River Valley, surrounded by the Selkirk Mountain range....

, Canada, "to be somewhere completely different to a large port city". In 1987, he began to record and to tour, due to popular demand.

Recordings

Lewis' first solo album, issued in 1987, was Surfacing and included two early favorites among his recordings, "The Last Shanty" and "Marching Inland." Those two songs later appeared on the compilation CD, A Taste of the Maritimes (1992), the former tune under the title "A Sailor Ain't a Sailor." In 1988 he recorded and toured with William Pint and Felicia Dale

William Pint and Felicia Dale

William Pint and Felicia Dale , are folk musicians based in Seattle. Known primarily for nautical music and sea chanties, they are among the best-known performers in that genre in the United States. Their albums have been favorably reviewed in Dirty Linen magazine, Sing Out! Magazine, and Folk...

. Currently much of his touring happens in the U.K and Europe, giving him more opportunities to perform with his Polish compatriates QFTRY.

His albums have been favorably reviewed in Dirty Linen magazine, Living Tradition magazine and Sing Out!

Sing Out!

Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...

magazine. (The latter calling his song "Radio Times" the "folk equivalent of 'American Pie.'") His songs have also been played on The Midnight Special

The Midnight Special (radio)

The Midnight Special is a syndicated radio show broadcast on Chicago, Illinois radio station, WFMT-FM since 1953. It is a showcase for folk and roots music from historical and contemporary artists. The show also features comedy sketches and show tunes...

 folk music radio show.

In 2000, he won the Stan Hugill

Stan Hugill

Stan Hugill was a folk music performer, artist and sea music historian, known as the "Last Working Shantyman" and described as the "20th Century guardian of the tradition".-Biography:...

 International Trophy when the competition was held in Douarnenez, France.

In 2008, he published his tunes and lyrics as Worth the singin': the Tom Lewis songbook.

Discography

• Surfacing (1987)
• Sea-Dog, See Dog! (1990)
• Making Waves (1992), with William Pint and Felicia Dale
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor Singer! (1995)
• Mixed Cargo (1999)
• Poles Apart (Polish Title: On, My Ocean) (2001) with a seven-man shanty group from Poland (QFTRY). In English and Polish.
• 360° All Points of the Compass (2003)