When I first met Shawn Patch, the lead guitarist of The Radials — a high-energy, twangy, “Hank Williams Jr. dueling with Johnny Cash in the back lot while Patterson Hood pours Jack Daniels lyrics over their heads” band out of Greensboro, NC — he was one-half of a two piece ensemble with vocalist & rhythm guitarist, Stephen Corbett.
Fast-forward six months to last Friday when The Radials opened up for Sorry About Dresden at the kickoff dotmatrix project event and the dynamic duo had grown to a full five player band. And while I was beyond taken by their full sound and stage presence, it was their lap steel guitarist, Tom Beardslee, who I couldn’t stop watching.
After the show, Tom and I chatted for a bit and he passed me his last album, Good Company. As I do with all artists I discover, I ran Tom down online later that night and low and behold — his story matched the uniqueness of his play:
Tom is not your average pop musician. He has made several trips to West Africa to study highlife, soukous, Afrobeat, and traditional music. He also worked in Ghana as a studio and live guitarist, playing with musicians like Okyerema Asante, Pat Thomas, Jewel Ackah, Sharon Katz, and members of Osibisa. He lived the life of a highlife bandsman with Amakye Dede’s Super High Kings, with whom he toured all of Ghana, as well as in Togo and Cote D’Ivoire.
In the US, Tom has worked with musicians from all over the world since his early teens. He has played styles as diverse as flamenco, punk, reggae, ska, rockabilly, blues, country, bluegrass, funk, and soul. His diverse musical wanderings have led him to work with such artists as Country Joe McDonald, Clarence Bucaro, Sekouba Bambino, Kaikpai Ukpendi, Big Dread, and Alassane Sarr.
Tom has recently earned a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from Ohio State. He studied at OSU with Dr. Daniel Avorgbedor and Dr. Margarita Mazo, and at the University of Ghana with John Collins and J.H.K. Nketia. His studies have led to work with Afropop Worldwide, Guitar Player Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and Fingerstyle Guitar.
Not a bad prelude to a listen, so I popped in Good Company, kicked up my feet and closed my eyes for a listen.
I’m not sure I can classify this album. It definitely has deep roots in wide range of blues, but it also has such an interesting contemporary feel without it being stereotypical. Good Company is mature, familiar and arranged, yet Beardslee’s layering has a real, substantive and simultaneously sweet edge to it.
It’s a sound that I haven’t quite heard before.
Beardslee’s storytelling is steeped in rich metaphors and interesting instrumental juxtapositions, yet it’s his lyrical delivery that cuts through the air and exposes his old soul. Whether he’s playful, crooning, narrating or belting, Beardslee brings it with an authentic flavor.
Toss in his picking and well, it’s found a home in my rotation.
Take a listen:
Stacks
I Would
There’s a dirty rumor floating around town that Tom is leaving Greensboro for the Midwest to head back to school. If true, it’ll be a loss for our music community.
