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). He's still writing great new songs, many so topical that they never make it onto his albums -- you have to come to his shows to hear them. Tom Paxton has become a voice of his generation, addressing issues of injustice and inhumanity, laying bare the absurdities of modern culture, and celebrating the tenderest bonds of family, friends, and community. On last February's Grammy telecast he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, but he's not resting on those or any other laurels.