Roger Salloom started his life and career in Worcester where he first studied banjo at 13 years old. He was influenced then by Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Geoff Muldaur, Woody Guthrie, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Reed, the singing brakeman, Jimmy Rodgers and the Kingston Trio. At 19 he was opening for Jose Feliciano. In 1975, he immortalized the town in what the New York Times called, “his own version of Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run,’ called ‘Gotta Get Out of Worcester.’ “ Roger went to Indiana University in Bloomington in 1966. He chose his major by walking around the campus trying to feel the “vibes” of the various buildings. There and in San Francisco he found his poetic self and started to truly take his song writing seriously.
He migrated his Bloomington band to San Francisco in 1967 playing the Avalon, Fillmore and Carousel Ballrooms with Salloom, Sinclair and Mother Bear. During that time he played with Santana, Van Morrison, BB King, Procol Harum and many other greats.
In 1968, he signed his first recording deal with Chess Records’ subsidiary, Cadet Concept. Salloom, Sinclair and Mother Bear received rave reviews and was #1 on the charts of the top FM rock stations in Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Boston. It has since become collectible 30 years later.
Before long Marshall Chess, Roger's champion at the label, went off to be the president of the Rolling Stones’ new record label. The band broke up, but not before Roger Salloom and Robin Sinclair recorded again with Chess in Nashville in 1971 using the Grammy nominated group Area Code 615.
Intrigued with Nashville, Roger spent several years with artists including Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell and Richard Dobbins all of whom were a support team for each other all the time honing their writing skills. Roger returned to San Francisco where he was sponsored as a songwriter by the former manager of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jake Rohrer, and CCR’s former bass player, Stu Cook.
Roger left California and settled into Northampton, Massachusetts in 1980 to raise his children as a single father. In 1983 he released a recording on the local label, Yellow Plum Records, a recording which became a Billboard Top Album Pick and garnered heavy airplay on some of the most influential stations in the northeast, the exclusive area of its release. It was chosen as Charles Laquidara’s Big Mattress Song of the Week on Boston’s radio giant WBCN.
VIDEO - In The Snow
He continued to play with greats including The Band (6 times), John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rick Danko, The Bodeans, Joan Armatrading, Leon Russell, Jonathan Edwards and many others.
Presently every year Roger performs at the Pines Theater in Northampton. It is the largest outdoor free concert of the year in Western Mass. Thousands of residents of the area have grown up listening to Roger's music. This concert is celebrating its 22nd year.
He has performed with Van Morrison, Santana, Cheech and Chong, Doc Watson, NRBQ, Maria Muldaur, Jonathan Edwards, Paul Butterfield and many others.
'La Te Da' the New album on Florence Records
Roger is still playing, writing and singing better than ever. “It baffles me that I am still getting better!”
Chip Taylor takes a look at the human condition with the brilliant New Songs of Freedom. NSoF covers our times like nothing out there right now.
Victor Comozzi - 3 Peso Cigar
Produced by the great Walt Wilkins, 3 Peso Cigar is the debut effort from Texas singer/songwriter Vic Comozzi. It's gruff, gritty Tex-Mex roots rock and it's really fucking good!
Mitch Webb and The Swindles - Lonely Kind
It's a raucus, twangin', beer-swillin, rockabilly flavored Alt-Country stew and it's one of the coolest records you'll hear this year.
Natasha James - Bad Judgements
She's smooth, silky and sassy and Bad Judgements is reminiscent of of the jazz tinged country sound of Van Morrison. Natasha James, the Northern California singer songwriter is one to watch.
Roger Salloom - LaTeDa
Dubbed America's best unknown songwriter, Roger Salloom backs it up with LaTeDa, a collection of witty, well crafted and well performed songs. Featuring Eilen Jewell, Grayson Capps and Charles Neville.
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