The 1950s Through the Eyes of Tom Austin
April 27, 2008
If you were rocking and rolling your way through the late 1950s you may have danced to Short Shorts, written by Tom Austin and Bob Gaudio and performed by The Royal Teens. Austin and Gaudio were the founding members of The Royal Teens, a Bergen County teen band that gained the attention of Dick Clark�s American Bandstand where they appeared several times.
In 1958 Short Shorts topped the national hit charts at #3 leading The Royal Teens to international success and world tours with other hit-makers including Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Bill Haley and the Comets, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon, and Bo Diddley.
Over the next several years, Austin and Gaudio teamed up to record 30 more songs including their 1959 top 30 hit, Believe Me. Austin won several Broadcast Music Inc. awards in the Popular Music and Rhythm and Blues categories. When Austin left the Royal teens to join the US Army, Gaudio teamed up with Frankie Valli and formed The Four Seasons. The recent Broadway mega-hit, �Jersey Boys� includes the Gaudio / Austin composition of �Short Shorts�. includes images and music of Tom Austin and The Royal Teens and as a result, the play has brought Austin back into the limelight. The history of The Royal Teens is found in both the Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll and the 2007 book titled Jersey Boys. Tom Austin�s personal memorabilia and stage outfits are on permanent display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
While Tom Austin was launching his musical career, he was also developing and nurturing his love of painting. When he attended Fairleigh Dickenson University, he met artist and teacher Paul Ortlip who recognized Tom�s artistic talents. Ortlip encouraged Austin to focus more on his painting and Austin did just that. He says, �Art and music have always been equally important in my life. One art form fuels the other.� Later on, Austin was mentored by noted artist William Sturm.
Today Austin is not only recognized for his music but for his painting. Austin�s painting career gained national prominence in the late 1990s when the US Coast Guard Artists Program (COGAP) accepted Tom into their organization. COGAP uses fine art as an outreach tool for educating diverse audiences about the United States Coast Guard. Four of Tom�s oil paintings depicting the mission of the Coast Guard are in the Coast Guard�s permanent collection in Washington, D.C.
Austin�s love of the 1950s era is evident in his paintings. One of his most recent paintings, Short Shorts Season depicts the Broadway theater marquee for �Jersey Boys� and the first cars owned by members of The Four Seasons: Bob Gaudio�s 56 Olds Super 88 convertible, Charlie Calello�s 53 Pontiac, four door sedan, Frankie Valli�s 57 Chrysler 300, Tommy DeVito�s 56 Olds, Super 88, as well as Tom Austin�s 57 Ford, Fairlane 500.
The original painting, Short Shorts Season is part of the artist�s collection and will be on display for Austin�s solo exhibition this March at Fieldstone Fine Art Gallery. Mariana Maldonado, Gallery Director explains �We are excited and look forward to Tom�s one-man show. Although our policy is to offer only original artwork we are making a one-time exception by offering a limited edition of 50 numbered and signed prints of Short Shorts Season. We know that many of Mr. Austin�s fans would love to own a piece of that classic 1950s era.�
Fieldstone Fine Art Gallery will display an array of Austin�s wonderful paintings that depict interesting details of historic places and events of his era as well as his love of sail boats. Austin explains, �I have always been fascinated with historic sites and it feels natural to translate that interest into my artwork.� Mariana Maldonado, Fieldstone�s Gallery Director adds, �Tom is an accomplished artist with an ability to tell a story through his paintings. That�s what makes his artwork so special.�
Tom has called Ramsey home for nearly 40 years and he is very excited about having his first one-man show in his own backyard. He explains, �I�ve exhibited at the Salmagundy Club in New York City, the Paterson Museum in Paterson, NJ, and I�m honored to have my paintings on permanent display in the Coast Guard Collection, but it means a lot to me to show my work to friends and neighbors in such a fine gallery, in my home town.�
Tom Austin is the featured artist at Fieldstone Fine Art Gallery in Ramsey, NJ. From March 13 through April 14 visitors are invited to tour the gallery to see more than a dozen of his oil and watercolor paintings.
Fieldstone Fine Art Gallery prides itself in offering artwork in both traditional and modern genres. Also, the Fieldstone Fine Art sculpture garden offers brilliant pieces set amidst an English garden. All of the pieces on display in the ongoing exhibition are available for purchase.
Fieldstone Fine Art Gallery is located at 147 East Main Street in Ramsey. For additional information, call (201) 962-3636 or visit www.FieldstoneFineArt.com.
