THOMAS CAMPBELL (1939-2024), PRESENTE!

[Photo: Bonnie Raitt and Tom Campbell. The photo accompanied Bonnie Raitt’s August 26, 2024 eulogy for Tom, posted on her Facebook Page.]

THOMAS CAMPBELL, PRESENTE!

Founder of Avocado Productions & Guacomole Fund, 1939-2024

Tom Campbell, a stalwart supporter of the anti-nuke cause since 1976, passed on August 13. His Celebration of Life was held this month in California. Bonnie Raitt’s August 26 eulogy for Tom (see them pictured together above) follows:

With great sadness, we mark the passing of one of the most important people in our activist musicians community, Tom Campbell. For over 50 years, Tom and his wonderful team at Avocado Productions and Guacamole Fund have organized and produced over 1200 benefit concerts, rallies and receptions for a wide range of wonderful issues from No Nukes, to environmental protection and justice, women’s, human and Native American rights and peace. There is no one who has done more to raise funds and awareness than Tom. I’ve included a link to his obit here so you can appreciate in detail his amazing life and contributions. He was a dear friend and I’ll miss and be grateful for him always. Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Smoky, son Grady and all the family.

— Bonnie

Read the L.A. Times obituary, here.

Avocado Productions and Guacamole Fund, which Tom Campbell founded and directed for decades, served as a vital liaison between the anti-nuke movement and Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE), including Bonnie Raitt. Guacamole Fund organized countless anti-nuke information tables at MUSE-member concerts across the country, for decades on end.

Beyond Nuclear was honored and privileged to be invited to MUSE’s response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe in Japan. It was held in the San Francisco Bay area, in August 2011, just six months after the catastrophe had begun. The concert featured dozens of info. tables for anti-nuke groups from around the country, which were in attendance, including ours.

One of the featured musicians, per usual, was Bonnie Raitt, drawing a crowd of more than 10,000. Aileen Mioko Smith, executive director of Green Action Japan, a leading Japanese anti-nuclear watchdog based in Kyodo, was a keynote speaker at the concert. Tom Campbell produced the entire remarkable event, as always!