The songs of Tom Paxton, says Pete Seeger, "have a way of sneaking up on you. .. Like the songs of Woody Guthrie, they're becoming part of America." Tom Paxton has been a prime influence on other songwriters since he emerged in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, including some you might expect (Holly Near) and some you might not (Guy Clark). At 77, he's still writing lots of songs, many so topical that they never make it onto his albums—you have to come to his shows to hear them. Tom once listed his influences as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bob Gibson, Burl Ives, Tom Lehrer, and Mississippi John Hurt, but even that motley collection doesn't quite encompass the man and his music. On a recent Grammy telecast Tom received a Lifetime Achievement Award, but he's not resting on those or any other laurels, and he always brings something new each time he comes to Michigan. In fact, he's coming to Michigan with a new album, "Redemption Road." Tom has said that his current tour will be his last, so don't miss the chance to experience a folk legend.