[FA Worldmusic] Tom Terrell: An appreciation

[Sean Barlow]

I am sad to report that our great friend and colleague Tom Terrell
passed this morning. He died of prostate cancer surrounded by family and
friends. You may have heard his idiosyncratic reviews of Afropop and
world music CDs on NPR's "All Things Considered." He charmed ten million
people at a pop! Tom was a pioneering world music journalist whose
chops, taste and gregarious sense of humor won over his audience and
colleagues alike. He has hundreds and hundreds of friends. An amazing
testament to his humanity.



I first met Tom when he was working at Mango Records back in its heyday.
Tom took on the, shall we say, challenging job of road managing the 1989
first U.S. tour of the Lion of Zimbabwe, Thomas Mapfumo...a roaring
adventure bussing across the highways and byways of America. Tom always
relished sharing with me, a fellow intense Thomas fan and insider in
MapfumoLand, that his siren call whenever they stopped in cities or
small towns was "Attention Shoppers!" Monster movies, sneakers...America
was a joyful place to be. Tom had a smiling face and a laugh relishing
the absurdity of life. During the last year as his cancer progressed
rapidly, he held the position as Program Director at World Zone, the
world music channel of XM satellite radio. Tom, everyone who had the
pleasure to be your friend in your way too short life is grieving today.
We love you and we will miss you. God bless you, and in the African
tradition, your extended family.



Sean Barlow

Afropop Worldwide