Tom Cummings

Posted on: Aug 25, 2017 at 4:33 AM

I accidently ran into Tom while living in Phoenix and played a game of pool with him in a cantina in Phoenix in 2010.  He was living there and writing a book about his experiences in Viet Nam. but hadn't had it published yet.  His mom, June, was also living in Phoenix and was writing a book about bars in Arizona.  I'd heard about  his passing from throat cancer just before I moved back to Canfield in 2012.  We were on the football team together in '65 and I can see him now, standing in the cold, snowy mud, smiling at me and saying BRING IT ON!  I'll miss you Tom.

Pudge!  What a guy.  Ran into him outside of Motown Records in LA.  He was headed home and I was headed in to do a guitar overdub with Keith Richards for a Billy Preston album.  I didn't know he was in LA at the time, or that he was the accountant for Motown.  We tried to get together for a Stones concert but Pudge got caught in an LA traffic jam and couldn't make it.  It was the one when Axel Rose quit the band on stage.  They were the opening act.  Don't miss Axel, but I sure miss Doug.