Tom Paxton is a songwriter’s songwriter, a folksinger’s folksinger and one of the few original Greenwich Village troubadours to still be active on the scene. Since the release of the critically acclaimed recording, “Redemption Road” in 2015, Paxton has kept his writing skills sharp, teaming up with three of Nashville’s top writers to kick off a new song cycle on “BOAT IN THE WATER.” The title song was co-written with Pat Alger, famous for his Garth Brooks hits. Jon Vezner, who wrote Kathy Mattea’s hit, “Where’ve You Been”, co-wrote several songs on the album including the ukulele-centric “Dream On, Sweet Dreamer” and the lonesome “Christmas in the Shelter.” 

Paxton,Vezner and Don Henry wrote the mysterious “Eleanor’s Song”. Once again, universal themes are central to the album. “It’s Too Soon” talks of holding on to someone who is gone while “The First Thing I Think of this Morning” is as beautiful a love song as you will ever hear.

Co-writing expands Tom’s world, but his solo compositions still have the hook, singability and stickiness of the past. His knack for writing a novel in a short song is clear in “The Last Hobo” and “A Daughter In Denver.”  A few gems of the past snuck into the album including “Home To Me”, sung by Cathy Fink, with Tom on harmony vocals.

Home To Me

Tompaxton