For Tom Andersen, 1999 was a "Storybook" year. The acclaimed singer-songwriter won the 1999 MAC Awards for Outstanding Male Vocalist and Recording of the Year ("The Journey"); played to soldout houses at the FireBird Cafe, Weill Recital Hall and Town Hall in New York; shared the stage with Michael Feinstein, Andrea Marcovicci and Karen Mason, and was cheered on by Betty Buckley ("Tom's a great singer who can sing everything. I love what he does!"). Photo: Betty visits Tom after a performance at the Firebird Cafe in August.

What'll he do for an encore? Well, it's only January, but Tom's 2000 is already off to a stellar start. On Jan. 4, Scott and Barbara Siegel of Show Business Weekly named him "the No. 1 Best Male Vocalist of 1999." On Jan. 8 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., Tom will headline a solo concert at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, N.Y. And he'll return Jan. 28-Feb. 12 to the FireBird Cafe, 365 W. 46th St., to play Fridays and Saturdays at 9 and 11 p.m.

"I'm so excited about this year," says Tom, who just completed a demo of new songs. "I want to keep growing as a singer and musician, and I'm looking forward to exploring new ways to express myself, whether it's pop, country or show tunes. I'm fascinated by all types of music, from all over the world."

As a singer of classic and contemporary pop, Tom has been compared to Johnny Mathis ("dreamy, hyper-romantic crooning") by Stephen Holden of the New York Times. And his musical selections have run the gamut from Jule Styne to Julie Gold. As a songwriter, he has been signed to a contract by Warner Chappell, and his tunes have been performed by David Campbell, Claiborne Cary, David Gurland, Sean McDermott and Baby Jane Dexter.

Tom is the winningest male singer-songwriter in the history of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC), receiving a record of 5 of its top honors. He has played Carnegie Hall, the Algonquin, Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room, and he's put out two acclaimed albums, "Far Away Places" and "The Journey," which features "Yard Sale," his award-winning tune, and "Storybook," his signature song from Broadway's The Scarlet Pimpernel. Pimpernel's lyricist, Nan Knighton, raves, "Could we set up some universal P.A. system so that we all wake up each day to hear Tom singing? Meantime, go hear him sing now. Or buy his CDs. Tom's not only an extraordinary singer; he's a good and giving human being with a great sense of humor. And he's gorgeous!"

Tom will be accompanied at the Emelin Theatre and the FireBird Cafe by Ian Herman, the 1999 Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Musical Director. Ian also has played for Jane Olivor and Donna McKechnie, and he recently did arrangements for the Broadway musical Swing, starring Ann Hampton Callaway.

Tickets for Tom's Jan. 8 show at Emelin are $24; (914) 698-0098. Admission to Tom's shows at the FireBird Cafe, Jan. 28-Feb. 12, is a $20 cover and a $15 minimum. (212) 586-0244.

You can also visit Tom's Website for updates and future appearances.

See you Friday!

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