Tom Terrell
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gerald Terrell was a music journalist
, photographer, deejay
, promoter
, and NPR
music reviewer. Born Thomas Gerald Terrell, and later known as Scooter, King Pleasure, and Tom T., he was a life-long musicologist who recognized talent and trends long before they became popular, and, until his death from prostate cancer, worked to promote new acts in jazz, funk, rock, hip-hop, and world music.
, Terrell was the only son of Zoma and Thomas C. Terrell. He and his three sisters grew up in Vauxhall, New Jersey
, and he was educated in the Union Public School District
. From an early age he exhibited a facility for music, art, reading and writing, traits that would define his life. A radio station kid, Tom was mentored in his teens at WJNR-FM
by the late Sonny Taylor (an early black radio pioneer), and again later at WMMJ
, Washington, D.C.
After graduating from Union High School
, Terrell attended college at Howard University
in Washington, D.C.
, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where he was photographer for the campus newspaper, The Hilltop
, and the "Bison
" annual, serving as a photo-editor for the 1973 volume. He graduated from Howard in 1972.
and concert promoter, impacting the music scene as a programmer for WHFS
and WPFW
, and was an early force behind d.c. space, its non-profit offshoot, District Curators Inc., and the Nightclub 9:30. Blessed with a honey baritone "radio voice" and encyclopedic music knowledge, his pioneering radio shows included "Stolen Moments" on WPFW
, and "Sunday Reggae Splashdown" and "Café C'est What" on WHFS
. His perceptive music journalism was carried in the Unicorn Times, the Washington City Paper
, JazzTimes
, Vibe, Essence
, Emerge, Savoy, JAZZIZ, Trace
, Village Voice, MTV
Magazine, Down Beat
Magazine, and Global Rhythms, to name a few. From 2005 until his death, Terrell reviewed music for "All Things Considered
" on National Public Radio. During much of the late 70s, Tom was frequently employed as a roadie for several touring national music acts (including David Bowie
). Tom also spent many years doing promotion work for several record companies.
Terrell was instrumental in masterminding the U.S. premiere of reggae
band Steel Pulse
on the night of Bob Marley
's funeral, which was broadcast live around the world from the 9:30 Club
, 930 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1981, and later served as their manager.
Terrell wrote the liner notes for the six-c.d. Miles Davis
On The Corner box set released in October 2007, which received rave reviews.
at the Community Hospice of Washington.
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, photographer, deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
, promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
, and NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
music reviewer. Born Thomas Gerald Terrell, and later known as Scooter, King Pleasure, and Tom T., he was a life-long musicologist who recognized talent and trends long before they became popular, and, until his death from prostate cancer, worked to promote new acts in jazz, funk, rock, hip-hop, and world music.
Early years
Born in Summit, New JerseySummit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
, Terrell was the only son of Zoma and Thomas C. Terrell. He and his three sisters grew up in Vauxhall, New Jersey
Vauxhall, New Jersey
Vauxhall is an unincorporated area within Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. Vauxhall borders Millburn and Maplewood. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07088....
, and he was educated in the Union Public School District
Union Public School District
The Union Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in preschool through grade twelve from Union Township, in Union County, New Jersey, United States....
. From an early age he exhibited a facility for music, art, reading and writing, traits that would define his life. A radio station kid, Tom was mentored in his teens at WJNR-FM
WJNR-FM
WJNR-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Iron Mountain, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1972.-External links:...
by the late Sonny Taylor (an early black radio pioneer), and again later at WMMJ
WMMJ
WMMJ is a top rated station Urban Adult Contemporary radio station owned by Radio One in the Washington, D.C. market. It is licensed to Bethesda, but its transmitter is located in Tenleytown...
, Washington, D.C.
After graduating from Union High School
Union High School (New Jersey)
Union High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure...
, Terrell attended college at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where he was photographer for the campus newspaper, The Hilltop
The Hilltop
The Hilltop can mean:*Hilltop, Columbus, Ohio*"The Hilltop," a nickname for Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.* The Hilltop , the student newspaper of Howard University in Washington, D.C....
, and the "Bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
" annual, serving as a photo-editor for the 1973 volume. He graduated from Howard in 1972.
Professional life
He made his mark as a radio personalityRadio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
and concert promoter, impacting the music scene as a programmer for WHFS
WHFS
WHFS was the call sign for three different FM stations in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland markets on various frequencies for nearly 50 years. The first and longest run was a progressive rock station and was usually, and affectionately, referred to as 'HFS...
and WPFW
WPFW
WPFW, an FM station at 89.3 MHz, is the Washington, DC station owned by Pacifica Radio. The station first went on the air in 1977. Aside from syndicated Pacifica programs such as Democracy Now!, much of its programming is locally produced and dedicated to jazz, blues, classic soul music and...
, and was an early force behind d.c. space, its non-profit offshoot, District Curators Inc., and the Nightclub 9:30. Blessed with a honey baritone "radio voice" and encyclopedic music knowledge, his pioneering radio shows included "Stolen Moments" on WPFW
WPFW
WPFW, an FM station at 89.3 MHz, is the Washington, DC station owned by Pacifica Radio. The station first went on the air in 1977. Aside from syndicated Pacifica programs such as Democracy Now!, much of its programming is locally produced and dedicated to jazz, blues, classic soul music and...
, and "Sunday Reggae Splashdown" and "Café C'est What" on WHFS
WHFS
WHFS was the call sign for three different FM stations in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland markets on various frequencies for nearly 50 years. The first and longest run was a progressive rock station and was usually, and affectionately, referred to as 'HFS...
. His perceptive music journalism was carried in the Unicorn Times, the Washington City Paper
Washington City Paper
The Washington City Paper is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Founded in 1981, and published for its first year under the masthead 1981, taking the City Paper name in volume 2, by Russ Smith, it shared ownership with the Chicago Reader from 1982...
, JazzTimes
JazzTimes
JazzTimes is a magazine that dates back to Radio Free Jazz, a publication founded in 1970 by Ira Sabin when he was operating a record store in Washington, DC. It was originally a newsletter designed to update shoppers on the latest jazz releases and provide jazz radio programmers with a means of...
, Vibe, Essence
Essence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
, Emerge, Savoy, JAZZIZ, Trace
Trace (magazine)
TRACE is a quarterly, internationally-distributed magazine with the tagline, 'transcultural styles + ideas'. It focuses on urban culture, and has featured on its cover some of the most significant black artists and models of the last decade, including Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Biggie Smalls,...
, Village Voice, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Magazine, Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
Magazine, and Global Rhythms, to name a few. From 2005 until his death, Terrell reviewed music for "All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
" on National Public Radio. During much of the late 70s, Tom was frequently employed as a roadie for several touring national music acts (including David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
). Tom also spent many years doing promotion work for several record companies.
Terrell was instrumental in masterminding the U.S. premiere of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band Steel Pulse
Steel Pulse
Steel Pulse is a roots reggae musical band. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham, England, composed of David Hinds , Basil Gabbidon , and Ronald McQueen .-History:...
on the night of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's funeral, which was broadcast live around the world from the 9:30 Club
9:30 Club
Foo Fighters Promise to come back to D.C. and play the 9:30 ClubNightclub 9:30 is a nightclub and concert venue in Washington, D.C. Originally located at 930 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C., in the 1970s it was called the "Atlantis Club", and hosted primarily rock, New Wave, and punk bands...
, 930 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1981, and later served as their manager.
Terrell wrote the liner notes for the six-c.d. Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
On The Corner box set released in October 2007, which received rave reviews.
Death
A resident of Washington, D.C., Terrell died at the age of 57 on November 29, 2007, due to prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
at the Community Hospice of Washington.