Tommy Dean

While we do not yet have all the details the sense of grief we feel at WERU over the sudden and tragic death of Tom Salisbury, a.k.a. Cowboy Tommy Dean of Independent Country renown is staggering and profound. Tom died suddenly and unexpectedly Sunday afternoon in Trenton of an unknown cause while meeting with associates at the American Legion Hall. Community Radio will pass along whatever information we can as we receive it to volunteers and listeners, including details on paying respects and giving comfort to Tom’s loving wife and children.

Anyone in the WERU family who had even the most brief interaction with Tommy Dean, be it in person or on the radio, knows that he was a perfect gentleman, humble soul, exuberant spirit and enthusiastic proponent of Community Radio – amount many other things he loved and championed. He started out on WERU as Doc Morrill’s co-host on Downhome Country Thursday morning half-a-dozen years ago, and then developed his own hit country music show in the weekend wee sunrise hours, Independent Country, following and playing off Big Jerry’s Truckstop like perfect overnight radio bookends. His audience was devoted and fanatical and he served them with energy, enthusiasm and humility, not to mention all the independent country artists he promoted with the utmost respect and sincerity.

But Tommy wasn’t a “one-trick pony” and could adapt his unique brand of DJ banter to Reggae as the occasional but unforgettable sub-host for Carlton Johnson on the Drive Thru. He was loved whatever he did and wherever he went, in such seemingly diverse places as WERU and the American Legion Hall. He was an award-winning songwriter, a concert promoter and master of ceremonies, a tireless organizer of the “Christmas is for Kids” benefit events, a supreme devotee of Johnny Cash, a businessman and baker, a great friend and above all a loving and devoted family man. It is no cliché to say that you really couldn’t find a nicer, more decent man than Cowboy Tommy Dean. His sudden passing is a terrible loss to the community and we will miss him deeply at WERU.

-Matt Murphy, WERU General Manager

Other Links:

• Bangor Daily News Article 
• Carrie Jones blog entry in the Ellsworth American.
• Article in the Ellsworth American 04/17/08
  
• Musician Andrew Dean (No relation) has a tribute page
• WERU volunteer Matthew Baya's blog entry
• Tommy’s 'Independent Country(wma)' theme song performed by the Moore Brothers from their website
  
• Tommy’s closing theme song ‘Cowboy Tommy Dean’ by Brian Gelina, Everard Dodge & Rosanna Rogers