Tom Irwin, a sixth-generation Sangamon County resident from rural Pleasant Plains, Illinois sings original songs accompanied on guitar and harmonica about his life and where he’s lived it with occasional covers songs from the traditional folk and American roots genre. During his thirty-five year (and counting) career in making music, Irwin has received the only Downtown Springfield (IL) Music Legend award, opened for Willie Nelson & Family at the 2001 Illinois State Fair and been voted by readers of Illinois Times as “Best of Springfield” in numerous music categories including Folk Band, Male Musician, Male Vocalist and Songwriter. He plays around 150 dates annually, locally, regionally and nationally, plus has independently released 12 full-length albums, including All That Love in 2017 (produced by John Stirratt of Wilco and featuring members of Norah Jones Band, NRBQ and Autumn Defense) and Sangamon Songs in 2012 (produced by Gary Gordon of The Gordons and featuring music contributions by Robert Bowlin, Mark Stoffel and Ross Sermons). A 2018 collaboration with playwright John W. Arden created Sangamon Songs: A Musical Play, a theatrical music show that debuted at the UIS Performing Arts Center Studio Theater in November of 2019. He performs solo, or joined by sons Owen Irwin (lead acoustic, electric guitars) and John Irwin (harmony vocals, keyboards) and sometimes brings out his rock ’n’ roll band, the Raouligans. Since 2000, Irwin has penned a weekly music column called Now Playing, for Illinois Times. He currently resides at the Irwin family farm near Springfield, Illinois.