Income Tax Time in Tennessee

A piece of history.

Photo by Ellie Storms on Unsplash

It’s tax time in Nashville, Tennessee, and that usually reminds me of a colorful character from our recent past.

Of course, everyone here in Nashville is a musician, and most of us hate paying taxes, but this fellow took both concepts farther than most of us.

His name was Tupper Saussy.

Tupper Saussy (1936-2007) was an American musician, songwriter, and author. He was the founder and leader of the Neon Philharmonic Orchestra, a psychedelic pop band that was active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for its lush orchestration and inventive arrangements. They released a number of critically acclaimed albums during their brief career.

After the Neon Philharmonic Orchestra disbanded, Saussy went on to pursue a career as a writer and political activist. He wrote several books, including "Rulers of Evil: Useful Knowledge about Governing Bodies," which presents a controversial theory about the true nature of power in modern society.

In addition to his music and writing, Saussy was also a prominent political activist and was involved in several high-profile political controversies during his lifetime. He was a vocal critic of the U.S. government and its policies and believed in the importance of individual liberty and freedom. Saussy passed away in 2007 at the age of 70.

Tupper Saussy and IRS.

Tupper Saussy was involved in a high-profile legal battle with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the 1980s, which resulted in his indictment and conviction for tax evasion.

Saussy, who had become a vocal critic of the U.S. government and its policies, had stopped filing tax returns and paying taxes on his income in the 1970s. He argued that the income tax system was unconstitutional and that he was not legally required to pay taxes.

It was rumored he fled and hid out for some time near Sewanee University on Monteagle Mountain, a rough and very private area.

In 1985, Saussy was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the government. He was eventually found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison, along with a $10,000 fine and three years of probation.

Saussy continued to maintain his innocence and argued that he was the victim of political persecution. He wrote about his experience in his book "The Miracle on Main Street: Saving Yourself and America from Financial Ruin," which presents a controversial perspective on the income tax system and the role of government in society.

Where about Tupper’s youth?

Tupper Saussy was born on October 3, 1936, in Anniston, Alabama, United States. He grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, where he attended high school and began his career as a musician and songwriter. Saussy lived and worked in Nashville for much of his life, and was a prominent figure in the city's music scene in the 1960s and 1970s.

What high school in Nashville?

Saussy attended Hillsboro High School in Nashville, Tennessee. Hillsboro High School is a public high school that was founded in 1939 and is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville. The school has a long history of academic excellence and is known for its strong academic programs, including Advanced Placement courses, as well as its successful athletics programs.

Neon Philharmonic Orchestra

The Neon Philharmonic Orchestra was a psychedelic pop band from the United States that was active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The band was formed by songwriter and arranger Tupper Saussy, who had previously worked as a member of the gospel group The Tokens. The band's sound was characterized by lush orchestration and inventive arrangements, and they released a number of critically acclaimed albums during their brief career.

The Neon Philharmonic Orchestra's best-known song is "Morning Girl," which reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969. The song features a memorable melody, intricate vocal harmonies, and a sweeping orchestral arrangement. Other notable songs by the band include "No One Is Going to Hurt You," "Brilliant Colors," and "Midsummer Night."

It was understood that the recordings of the NPO were largely performed by Tupper himself, with each additional track of music overdubbed and mixed down to the final versions. Live concerts were difficult.

Despite their critical acclaim and moderate commercial success, the Neon Philharmonic Orchestra disbanded in the early 1970s, and Tupper Saussy went on to pursue a career as a writer and political activist.