RIP Tommy Keene

[markwoll]

Tommy Keene was a DC favorite back in the 80's.
Moving from rock to punk to jangly pop.
At one point he was gonna be the next big thing.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...c3a_story.html

[Steve F.]

Sadly, he is most meaningful to old people from DC, who remember him when he was really hot and popular locally and, as you say, poised to break out BIG.

He was a genuinely supremely talented song-smith working in the pop format. And he never gave up and he never released 'bad' work. He just kept on working on his craft.

[Buddhabreath]

Sorry to hear this sad news. I remember him and had an album back in the day with his nicely crafted jangly rock. I remember there were some dark lyrics that sometimes presented a curious contrast with his exuberant melodic music. Like many I thought he was poised to break big.

[Steve F.]

I remember there were some dark lyrics that sometimes presented a curious contrast with his exuberant melodic music.

Yes. That was something he did and that I quite liked. (Then again, I would, wouldn't I!)

[Mister Triscuits]

Sadly, he is most meaningful to old people from DC, who remember him when he was really hot and popular locally and, as you say, poised to break out BIG.

I thought it was odd that the San Francisco Chronicle devoted half a page to his obituary, which seemed to consist mostly of variations on "His career never really took off and he was little known outside the DC area."