This biography is a tribute to Big Tom McBride and his extraordinary career as an Irish Country Music Legend. Big Tom was the undisputed King of Irish country music with a singing career spanning over 60 years. Countless Irish country music stars have paid tribute to Big Tom since his passing which made national headlines and inspired a special Late Late Show tribute.
Irish singer song-writer Declan Nerney: "Big Tom was Ireland's Elvis; right up until he died people were coming from all over the country to meet him in person at his home in Co Monaghan. ..Big Tom ...was an ordinary man who was an extraordinary country music singer and performer; his songs and his way captured the very essence of what country music is all about."
More than half a million people tuned in to pay tribute to the late Irish country legend Big Tom McBride on the Late Late Show Country Special on RTE One on 20th April
Daniel O'Donnell: "He brought so much to people in England, you know," O'Donnell told host Ryan Tubridy. "Especially because at the time when Tom and Brian and Philomena and Margaret and Joe Dolan, they were that first crop and they brought Ireland to the people that were in England at the time, and Scotland."
Nathan Carter: "I just have so much respect for the man... In my opinion he's probably the Johnny Cash of Ireland and I think his music will just live on and live on for many years to come,"
Fr Brian D'Arcy also featured on the panel and said, "There's a hole in our heart that can't be filled and there's a hole in the culture of Ireland that has suddenly died."
Susan McCann remembered a piece of advice she received from Big Tom early on in her career, saying, "One of the bits of advice he gave me was, 'Susan always make sure when you record a song that the postman can whistle them or sing them'. And it always stuck with me."
