Too Slim and public support

These days, Tim “Too Slim” Langford is feeling pretty good.

The frontman of Too Slim and the Taildraggers had surgery in December to battle prostate cancer, a procedure that seems to have worked – “so far, so good,” he said. His fans’ outpouring of support – both emotional and financial – helped keep his spirits up, helped offset his medical bills and kept his band paid as they took a hiatus from performing live.

“I’m feeling great,” Langford said. “I feel pretty normal now.”

Now he’s ready to give back. The Spokane native and Nashville-based musician and his band will perform tonight at the Bing Crosby Theater in support of Spokane Public Radio.

It’s really only been since last month that he’s been gigging regularly since taking time off for his recovery. He had a few scattered shows in April, and an appearance at a benefit in his honor in February at the Knitting Factory, organized by his old friend, Sammy Eubanks. He admits that might have been too soon.

“That was really hard for me, actually,” Langford said. “I probably shouldn’t have. It wore me out.”

To get ready for the busy summer season – he has booked gigs to play at the blues festivals in Winthrop, Washington, and Wallace, Idaho, as well as a headlining set at Pig Out in the Park – he’s been working to get back into playing shape.

“I have to build my stamina up. I’ve been working out and stuff,” Langford said. “Early on it was up and down, because there were periods when I felt really tired. I always wanted to push it, and that doesn’t always work in these situations.”

For nearly three decades – he’ll celebrate the 30th birthday of the Taildraggers in 2016 – Langford has been entertaining crowds across the Northwest and beyond with blues-influenced rock ’n’ roll. After 10 full-length albums, five live records and assorted EPs and compilations, the band has developed an ardent fan base.

Those fans who head out to the Bing tonight won’t see a standard, raucous Taildraggers set. This will be a night of acoustic music, all original.

“The first set I’m going to do solo acoustic. It’s kind of a ‘Storytellers’ type of show, where I talk about the songs,” he said. “Then I’ll bring the band out for the second set.”

Langford will pull material from his own solo acoustic record, and will perform some different arrangements of Taildragger tunes.

“Some of the material will be stuff I don’t usually play during an electric show,” Langford said. One of the possibilities for tonight’s set list is a song called “Big Ol’ House,” which appeared on last summer’s “Anthology” collection. It’s more of a ballad, and it works well solo, he said. He’s never performed it before.

For years, when they were still based in the Northwest, Langford and his band would do a boat cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene to benefit Spokane Public Radio. The past couple times they’ve moved the show to dry land, and it’s been a great experience, Langford said.

“I’ve always been a public radio fan,” Langford said. “You get a different perspective than on the commercial stations.”

It helps too, perhaps, that he’s been on the receiving end of this community’s support. He knows how important it is.

“I really want to express a big thank you for all the people who have been so kind and generous and supportive and who made donations to help us get through this,” Langford said. “Without all of everybody’s support, we’d be in a world of hurt.”