DJ Tommy Dean aka Tom Salisbury


I just heard via an IM from a friend at WERU that a friend of mine, Tom Salisbury or as I knew him DJ Tommy Dean (or Cowboy Tommy Dean) passed away suddenly today at an event at the American Legion in Ellsworth, ME. He was 50. I don’t know any more details but.. this is horrible. He was one of those people who was just overly enthusiastic about EVERYTHING he did. He organized a number of big country music concerts up here each year, all benefits for others. He was really into ‘Indepedent Country’ music, not the big artists but the smaller artists scraping to get by. On that end we had lots to talk about since really at that level country/folk isn’t that different. He would often ask me to dedicate Sally Roger’s ‘Lovely Agnes’ song to his wife Agnes. Last I saw him late last month he had a special guest in studio for his show and we couldn’t talk long but I had suggested that maybe we work on getting him a whole stage at the WERU Full Circle Fair. He was interested but wanted to see his big April 6 benefit event through before he could talk about it more. I was hoping to catch him at my next show at WERU later this month, which would have been the last time I’d see him until next fall since he didn’t do his show in the summer when he had to work at his bakery in Bar Harbor.

I suspect there will be some big benefit concerts coming up soon for Agnes & his son Tom (aka TD) and daughters. I’ll do all I can to help with these.

I’m pretty shocked by this. Totally unexpected. Totally weird. Totally sad. Huge loss.

He was a really good guy, and a real genuine person. Humble to a fault, I was always arguing with him that he wasn’t just ‘an old cowboy’ and that he could probably do concert & even organization full time if he wanted to. He was really an amazing guy, the more I think about his passing the more I’m realizing how special he was. I feel honored to have known him.

See this article in the Ellsworth American for more information about him.

He also worked at a bakery in Bar Harbor, The Cottage Street Bakery

He did lots of benefits for Christmas For Families.

I’m sure the latter two sites will have lots of information about him soon. In searching around for info on him on the web I found the following photos.




Update – I found a copy of Tommy’s theme song performed by the Moore Brothers on their website:
Theme song for DJ Tommy Dean’s “Independent Country” show in Bangor, Maine.
Performed by The Moore Brothers
Written by John Moore
WMA or MP3

UPDATE 4/26 – I just found this at WERU, it’s Tommy’s closing theme song ‘Cowboy Tommy Dean’ by Brian Gelina, Everard Dodge & Rosanna Rogers

Cowboy Tommy Dean MP3

\"What Would Tommy Do?\" Bumper Sticker idea

25 thoughts on “DJ Tommy Dean aka Tom Salisbury”

  1. We are going to and have begun to miss Tommy terribly. He is one of the kindest, and most giving person. Huge impact on a great deal of people. Days will not be the same.

    He’s home.

    All of us at “The Falls” as he called it.

  2. The following was just e-mailed out to WERU volunteers:

    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 Ellsworth 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 devoted 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.

    (Posted at http://www.weru.org and shared verbally with the Ellsworth American.)

  4. Tommy Dean was 50, he would turn 51 in October. He was like a brother to me, and he will be surely missed.

  5. What a shocker.

    Tommy was genuine, in every sense of the word. He will be missed.

  6. There will be a “CELEBRATION OF LIFE” SERVICE

    APRIL 27-08 (SUNDAY)

    AMERICAN LEGION HALL ..POST 207
    Trenton, Maine
    hours 1:00 pm – 4::00 pm

    In lieu of flowers please send a check to:

    MRS AGNES SALISBURY
    408 Christian Ridge Road
    Ellsworth, Maine 04605

  7. I just read what I thought surely must be some late and sick April Fool’s Day joke! Tom Salisbury (a. k. a. “Cowboy Tommy Dean”) is dead? I just heard him on the air on Saturday, April 5th playing his blend of independent country music at 5 AM! His energy and love for country music (especially Johnny Cash) as well as WERU was limitless and selfless. I am in utter shock right now.

  8. I heard the news about Tom yesterday and it was a huge shock. As today has passed, it is still a shock, but I have been thinking about the countless and selfless things he had done and the thousands of people he has touched through his selfless acts. The people who benefited from his “Christmas Is For Families” work, his work at the bakery, the friends he met at WERU and in the world of independent country. The many artists he played on the air and the many he promoted.

    There is now a huge hole in the area that will be huge to fill. Impossible for one person certainly. But with many of us picking up some little piece of what Tom had done, perhaps we can carry on his legacy.

    Rest in peace Tommy.

  12. I’m stunned…simply stunned. As one of the hosts of the program directly after “Independent Country”, I’d arrive at the station at 5 AM to find the phones ringing off the wall, Johnny Cash reverberating through the halls, and a virtual dynamo at the studio control board. Tommy’s love of country music was only matched by his love of sharing it with others. The man was driven! Tommy’s energy knew no bounds, and I often wondered how he could summon up so much of it at 4 o’clock in the morning. Being there in the studio and listening to Tommy take listener phone calls, it was easy to see how much he gave to others and how much he cared about his listeners. We’re going to miss him down here, but there’s another star in the heavens now.

  13. “Stunned” just doesn’t even come close to the loss I feel.I can’t even find the words to express the emptyness.
    I had the priviledge of being Tommy’s friend. He will forever be my hero.
    I performed at his “Christmas For Families” show and the “Yard Sale” and the “WERU Blue Hill Fair.”
    I spoke to Tommy on Friday and he wanted to make sure I was going to appear at the next “Yard Sale” in 2009. He was always planning ahead.
    I don’t think I’ve known anyone so loving and giving of themselves to help others, and so happy to do so.
    I will miss him so much.
    God Bless Tommy.

  14. I meant to call the girls today to see if this was true, I can’t believe someone so full of life is gone so quickly. I’ve never known anyone to work so hard for so many in need. Let me or the girls at the bank know if there’s anything we can do.

  17. What a loss to the community! He always had a smile for anyone he met and did so much good for so many. A lasting tribute would be to see that his work does not pass with him. We all need to step up to the plate and help those in the community who need it most. Blessings and prayers to his family in this time of such great sadness. May he rest in peace.

  19. I am putting on a show and Auction for Tommy’s Family To raise money to help them
    Cover the unexpected cost on this Tragidy.
    It will be At:The American Legion Post 207
    Trenton ,Maine
    Time:12pm to 5pm
    May 25 2008(sunday)
    There will be live music,50/50 drawing.
    An a Auction.
    Free Spaghetti dinner
    donation will be taken.
    Part of the money Raise I would to buy a Head Stone for Tommy.
    For all he has done and never asked for help I beleave it is the least we can do.
    Hope see alot of you there

  20. Just found this forum this morning :

    http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=97703.msg758342

    Also I found out more about the benefit concert on mentioned in the comment above on
    http://www.eboards4all.com/727189/messages/77490.html

    IN MEMORY OF TOM

    BENEFIT COUNTRY SHOW AND SPAGHETTI DINNER

    Proceeds to benefit the family of DJ TOMMY DEAN (TOM SALISBURY). Tom was taken from us at the young age of 50, struck down by a heart attack in his tradition of giving his all to others. We have organized this benefit concert to help his family cope with their tremendous loss. PLEASE COME JOIN US FOR A DAY OF MUSIC, FOOD, AND MEMORIES. TOM WAS A GREAT ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED.

    CONCERT TO BE HELD ON MAY 25,2008
    AT THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 207
    RT 3 TRENTON, MAINE

    Time: 12:00 PM -5:00 P.M.

    ALL WE ASK IS FOR A DONATION AT THE DOOR

    COUNTRY ACTS SLATED TO PERFORM INCLUDE

    STEVIE CEE
    DOC MORRILL
    GARY MITCHELL
    LISA & PARD HIGGINS
    LARRY DEWITT

    and more to come !!!!!

    CONTACT DON CLARK

    if you have any questions or would like TO DONATE
    EMAIL DON PLEASE
    donc22@roadrunner.com
    OR IF LOCAL
    PHONE
    667-2419 OR 460-1121

  21. Oh Tommy . . . sigh . . . there are no words I can find to fit the sadness in my heart. Although I couldn’t always listen sometimes I’d make a point to stay up to listen to his show in Colorado. I feel so very honored that he thought of me as a friend and we’d shared some wonderful chat’s together about life and music. I know his friends he’d made in the music business were important to him but it’s the warm and giving heart that he had that people will remember this wonderful man for. And I’m so glad of that. My heart and prayers go out to his family and I know they’ll miss him more than I. It may be hard to do but be strong in knowing he’s in a more wonderful place.

    Sending God’s blessings to you . . .

    Lindsay

  22. We are so sad… Tommy (and Doc Morrill) got me hooked on WERU when I first moved back to Maine. He was a great DJ and a very kind and generous person. We all miss him tremendously.
    For anyone who’s unable to make it to the celebration of Tommy’s life in Trenton tomorrow afternoon–I will be on the air on WERU from 2-4 pm and I’ll be doing a Grand Ole Opry-style tribute to Tommy.
    Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
    Susan Dickson-Smith, aka Sanguine Fromage

  25. I found the above articles and posts about Tom Salisbury while doing Genaology Research. I did not know Tom, but I wish I had. My Grandfather came from Bangor and Bar Harbor Maine, and I am always trying to find out more about family there. If anyone would like to correspond with me, I would be honored. Please accept my sympathies for Tom’s passing and know he is in Heaven looking down on all of us. God needed a DJ and knew he was the best. God Bless all.
    Aggie

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