Sit Down with Dr. Don Carleton

Pull up a chair because Dr. Don Carleton is here to tell us how the Tom Campbell/ Guacamole Fund archives will forever have a home and serve as a part of our nation’s history.

Tom Campbell (1939-2024) is considered by many to be the “grandfather of the benefit concert,” virtually inventing the idea of bringing together musicians and activists to create memorable and often historical events. For over 50 years, Tom and his team organized and produced over 1200 benefit concerts, rallies and receptions for a wide range of issues. Bonnie Raitt has proclaimed that “no one has done more to raise funds and awareness than Tom.”

Dr. Carleton is the founding Executive Director of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas-Austin. The Briscoe Center recently acquired the Guacamole Fund’s archives (correspondence, photographs, press releases, benefit concert posters, t-shirts and items unique to Tom’s work) for the Tom Campbell and Guacamole Fund Collection.

We learn how the immense collection was acquired, how the amazing display was created and how documents can be utilized by scholars at the Center. The public is invited to view the collection, with details available on the Center’s website (briscoecenter.org)!

Dr. Carleton explains to us why the benefit concerts of the late 1970s through 90’s might be impossible to replicate today.

He further describes other incredible items at the Dolph Briscoe Center. We’re talking about 18 linear miles of rare items in all! You might not have been a history buff before you pulled up a chair… but you’ll appreciate history by the time our conversation with Dr. Carleton is complete.

Please consider a small donation to the Guacamole Fund (guacfund.org) to support Tom’s vision. They do such good and important work. 

Hear more rare conversations at Compassionate Measures dot org and invite another music friend to pull up a chair. Join our community on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks always to YOU for listening, to Dr. Don Carleton for preserving our history of music inspired activism, and to Chris Downey for putting it all together.