Scott, Tom (actually, Thomas Jefferson)
Scott, Tom (actually, Thomas Jefferson)
Scott, Tom (actually, Thomas Jefferson), American folksinger and composer; b. Campbellsburg, Ky., May 28, 1912; d. N.Y., Aug. 12, 1961. He studied violin with an uncle. He played in dance bands and also wrote songs; then went to Hollywood, where he took theory lessons with Antheil; subsequently studied with Harrison Kerr and Riegger.
Works
DRAMATIC: Opera: The Fisherman (1956). orch.: Song with Dance (1932); Plymouth Rock (1938); Hornpipe and Chantey (1944); Sym. No. 1 (Rochester, N.Y., Oct. 22, 1946); From the Sacred Harp (1946); Johnny Appleseed (N.Y., March 1, 1948); Lento for Saxophone and Strings (1953). CHAMBER : 2 string quartets (1944, 1956); Emily Dickinson Suite for Violin and Harp (1955). VOCAL : Ballad of the Harp Weaver for Narrator, Harp, Chorus, and String Quartet (N.Y., Feb. 22, 1947); also chanteys for chorus; solo songs; arrangements of folk songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire