Tom Rush back on the road

Tom Rush returns to Connecticut for an outdoor afternoon show at Bridge St. Live in Collinsville Nov. 7.

Tom Rush, one of the country’s foremost folk troubadours for the past six decades who inspired James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and other music legends, will perform in Collinsville on Nov. 7.

Rush will appear in the parking lot of Bridge Street Live, 41 Bridge St. at 1 p.m. for a drive-in concert. The rain date is Nov. 8.

While a student at Harvard in the early 60s studying classical literature, Rush came up in the Boston folk scene, encompassing his passion for folklore.

Rush’s laconic, droll, intelligent, yet mildly goofy manner has been imitated by folkies for half a century. He was an avowed influence on James Taylor and gave the young Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne a boost by covering their songs. Rush pioneered the practice of folk concerts in legit theaters and concert halls.

Rush’s song “No Regrets” has been covered by artists as diverse as U2, Olivia Newton-John, Harry Belafonte, Midge Ure and The Walker Brothers. Rush’s live rendition of Steven Walters’ “Remember Song” went viral on YouTube in 2003, 45 years after he made his first music video.

When he was still living in his native New Hampshire, Rush would perform in Connecticut multiple times a year. Now, he lives in Wyoming and seldom tours.

Rush tested positive for COVID-19 in March and announced two weeks later he was “virus-free.” So a Tom Rush live show is no small thing these days.

In Collinsville, fans can watch the concert from inside, or near, their cars. Picnics and lawn chairs are welcome at the concert venue on the banks of the Farmington River. Tickets are $50. Children under 12 are free. Face masks and social distancing are required. 41bridgestreet.com.