Finding a voice in Reno

Songwriting as a way to be heard.

In Reno, Nevada, Tommy worked with young people in detention to turn experiences from their lives into songs. His collaboration with family-court judge Frances Doherty gave participants another way to communicate their circumstances and hopes.

A different way to tell a story

A 2013 Seven Days interview described a programme in which teenagers could submit songs as pleas when facing the possibility of adult imprisonment. Songwriting was a means of communicating with the court, bringing their own words and experiences into a difficult process.

Past, present and future

Recalling the workshops in 2020, Tommy described keeping the structure simple: three verses and a chorus, moving through the past, the present and the future. The group needed a melody everyone knew and settled on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Judge Doherty agreed to accept songs in place of written petitions, giving participants who struggled to write a formal letter another way to address her.

Songs that travelled beyond the workshops

Tommy recalled working with more than 70 young people. One piece, Danielle’s Song, remained in his own performances; the interview also reported plans for Moya to record it. Its continuing place in his repertoire connected the workshops with audiences beyond Reno.

Recognition and a lasting connection

Seven Days linked Tommy’s 2002 honorary doctorate from the University of Nevada to this work. He returned to the subject in later interviews, including a 2020 Belfast Media account. These are records of his involvement over time, rather than confirmation of a programme currently open to participants.