Tom Bombadil

Tom Bombadil is a supporting character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in Tolkien's high fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, published in 1954 and 1955. In the first volume, The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo Baggins and company meet Bombadil in the Old Forest. He also appears in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, a book of verse first published in 1962, purporting to be a selection of Hobbit poems, two of which concern Bombadil.

Appearances

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

Tolkien invented Tom Bombadil in memory of his children's Dutch doll, and wrote light-hearted children's poems about him, imagining him as a nature-spirit evocative of the English countryside.

Tolkien's 1934 poem "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" depicts Bombadil as a "merry fellow" living in a small valley close to the Withywindle river, where he wanders and explores nature at his leisure. Several of the valley's mysterious residents, including the River-spirit Goldberry (also known as the "River-woman's daughter"), the malevolent tree-spirit Old Man Willow, the Badger-folk and a Barrow-wight, attempt to capture Bombadil for their own ends, but quail at the power of Tom's voice, which defeats their enchantments and commands them to return to their natural existence. At the end of the poem, Bombadil captures and marries Goldberry. Throughout the poem, Bombadil is unconcerned by the attempts to capture him and brushes them off with the power in his words.

Bombadil (band)

Bombadil is a two-piece band from Durham, North Carolina with guitar, bass, piano, and drums as their primary instruments. Their music is best described as folk-pop. The band are known for their creative and heartfelt lyrics, quirky and diverse sound, and engaging live show.

History

Bombadil began in early 2004 after guitarist Bryan Rahija and bassist Daniel Michalek decided to start a band while undergraduates at Duke University after meeting while studying abroad in Bolivia. They recorded several demos at a local elementary school during their spare time.

After returning to the United States, Michalak recruited his brother John to write drum parts for the songs and the three spent the holiday break pulling the songs together. Pianist and friend Stuart Robinson joined the band a few months later.

After a busy year of touring and writing music, Bombadil signed with Ramseur Records of Concord, North Carolina after playing a show with The Avett Brothers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The group immediately set out recording a debut EP, which was released in May 2006. John Michalak left the band to pursue medical school and was replaced by James Phillips in the fall of 2007.