Thomas "DJ Tommy Dean" Salisbury

Thomas Salisbury, radio name, DJ Tommy Dean, was an American disk jockey for WERU in Ellsworth, Maine. He was a wife Agnes Dean, father to a son known as "T", and a daughter named Chelsea.

History

Johnny Cash was a major influence in Salisbury's life, and his personal favorite artist. Matt Murphy, WERU's General Manager dubbed Salisbury a "supreme devotee of Johnny Cash."

Working life

Tommy is known for working as a baker, Disk Jockey, and handling many fundraising concerts.

Fundraiser work

Dean was responsible for two fundraising shows a year. The first, dubbed the "Christmas for Families Yard Sale," though no items where sold, was to raise money for the second. The second show, done in December, was a fundraiser for "Christmas for Families" a program Dean was heavily involved with. "Christmas for Families" provides food, clothes, and other needs to families at Christmas time. In 2008, some 193 children, from roughly 130 families living , benefited from the program through donations of winter clothing, toys and other items purchased with the funds raised. The families themselves who signed up for assistance, also received a food basket with a holiday dinner.

Radio

Dean started out on WERU as a co-host on a show dubbed Downhome Country that aired on thursday mornings. After a year, he developed his own hit country music show in the weekend sunrise hours, Independent Country.

Bakery

His main job was in Cottage Street Bakery in Bar Harbor, Maine that he had part ownership to.

Death and Legacy

Dean died in April 2008 of a sudden heart failure after stepping out of a meeting regarding his upcoming fundraising concerts. His death was a surprise to everyone that knew him.