Remembering Tom Terrell

Journalist and raconteur Tom Terrell passed away today after a long battle with cancer. He had relocated back to Washington D.C. for medical care after many years in New York.

At Shore Fire, we were blessed with Tom's presence at many events over the years....we all considered him a friend. He always livened up the room. Most of the time he knew everyone in it. Known for his love and deep knowledge of music, he still managed to surprise me a few years ago when we shared our passion for the music of prog-rock legends Yes, who Shore Fire was representing at the time.

Lo and behold, Tom placed an essay on the band -- about his fondly remembered, yet strange, experience as a black fan of the band -- on NPR's "All Things Considered," where he was a contributor. To whit, listen here:

All Things Considered, June 2, 2004 - The U.K. progressive rock band Yes is celebrating 35 years together. Members have come and gone and come again, but the band has a signature sound, full of time changes, electronic keyboards and a tight mix of guitar bass and drums. Music writer Tom Terrell says the white band from Britain had a strange attraction for black kids — like him — from New Jersey.

We got this message today.

Dear Friends - I just received a call from Tom Terrell's sister Bevadine informing me that Tom's battle with cancer ended this morning at 5:05am. I'm happy to say that Tom's final days were pain free and peaceful. He was constantly surrounded by his loving family and friends during his time in the hospital/hospice. The outpouring of love helped Tom stay positive and strong through to the end.

The family is working on funeral arrangements, but tentative plans for the service are for next Saturday, December 8th in Washington, DC (all are welcome). They plan to organize a separate memorial service in NY, but are unsure of the timing.

Our condolences go out to Tom's family and to his many, many friends. We will miss him dearly.