Tom Engelmann
Host and ProducerTom Engelmann produces "Unsung Heroes, Influential but Overlooked Masters of Modern Music." The series features biographical sketches and the music of artists who often work behind the scenes or in support of major musicians.
Tom supports Montana Public Radio's jazz programming and occasionally hosts Freeforms.
Tom’s “heroes” have included composer and arranger Bobby Scott, keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, songwriter Hoyt Axton, harmonica player and producer Norton Buffalo, songwriter Doc Pomus, Tonight Show band arranger Tommy Newsom, saxophonist and Springsteen pal Clarence Clemons, bassist and producer Felix Pappalardi, songwriter Nick Ashford, the trumpet playing Candoli Brothers, guitarist and teacher Mickey Baker, guitarist Hugh McCracken, producer Phil Ramone, songwriter J.J. Cale, composer and arranger Clare Fischer, composer and producer Cowboy Jack Clement, composer and vocalist Laura Nyro, saxophonist Bobby Keys and trumpeter Lew Soloff.
"Unsung Heroes" can be heard as part of Montana Public Radio’s Monday Music Special.
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If Donna Summer was the "Queen of Disco" it could very well be that the "King of Disco" was English musician, composer and arranger Rod Temperton.…
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In many ways he was the beat of the Sixties, playing on recordings by Elvis, Sinatra, and thousands of others. He drummed for The Beach Boys, Jan and…
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He started out with artists like Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz, played for Ray Charles and was a major influence on composer and arranger Maria Schneider.…
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He was a keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. During a career spanning six decades, Clare Fischer worked with jazz artists like George Benson…
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He was the fifth Beatle, but you’d never know it. He was a Knight of the British Empire, but you probably didn’t know that either. He was Sir George…
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The chances are pretty good that if a country record had some distinctive guitar licks on it, anytime from the early '50s through the 1970s, they were…
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For artists as different as the Everly Brothers and Benny Goodman, Mundell Lowe was a true unsung hero. He provided both rhythm and lead guitar for…
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Joe Fields was an American producer and record executive, active mainly in jazz music He co-founded Cobblestone Records in 1972, and soon after founded…
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Most music listeners don’t realize that there really was a “Mr. Tambourine Man” behind Bob Dylan’s famous song. His name was Bruce Langhorne and he was…
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Tommy LiPuma produced memorable recordings by Barbara Streisand, Dave Mason, Paul McCartney and Willie Nelson. And he started out as a barber! Join Tom…