mybio

Just who is Thomas? Well, I've been trying to figure that out for a long, long time. I was born in Fayetteville, N.C. I've been called Thomas, Tommy, Tom, Tuck, Slow Hand, G.P.J., and a lot of names I can't repeat. My dad, also Thomas, was in the Army Air Corps and then the Air Force. His dad was a mechanic at a cotton mill. My mother's dad was a sharecropper. He lived in a tiny cabin next to the fields. I have 3 older sisters, Quita, Janice, and Sandie. My mom's name is Mildred. I have 3 kids, Shannon, Isaac & Joshua, and 6 grandkids, Phillip, Amber, Aiden, Miles, Lilly and Joshua.
I've been singing and beating out percussion and making up songs since I was knee high to a grasshopper. My first experience of singing to a crowd was doing a song called "Alley Oop" in front of a troup of girl scouts. Then it was car ports and garages to whoever would show up or pass by. My dad got me a set of drums when I was in high school and I played along with my lp's of Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, etc. A group of guys in my school formed a band called The Cobras and asked me if I wanted to play drums. We did a lot of Kinks, Rolling Stones, Beatles, etc. and some old R & B tunes. It was a lot of fun, playing, singing and driving my 66 Mustang. This was during the Vietnam war, so after high school while attending college night school, I got my draft notice and joined the Navy. I was first stationed in Bainbridge, Md., where I started a band called the Cobras II... we changed the name pretty quickly to Midnite Mass. It was during that time that I let another drummer take over and concentrated on singing. That band folded pretty quick and I got involved with some real young guys and we formed a band called The Seond-Hand Bitter-Sweet. I wrote a couple of songs and we cut a record in Baltimore. What a trip trying to get people to play your record!
Anyway, after 2 years in Bainbridge I was transferred to Morocco. It sounds like an exciting place, but there's no place like home. It was there that I ordered a guitar from Sears and taught myself how to play. Within a few months I was playing and singing in a group called The Jagged Edge. I had a Hofner solid body guitar and I ran it thru a Bogen 100 watt amp and a 15'" outdoor metal speaker.... you've never heard any thing like it!
Back in the states, I tried briefly to get air play for my songs, but I gave up too quickly. I went to school at East Carolina University where I played acoustic in a lot of coffee house settings with a very talented guy named Heron Williams - I called him Flash. The guy played an incredible harmonica, but could literally play anything he picked up. I didn't do too much for the first couple of years after college except jam with people. I took a job in San Diego where I had a lot of fun playing for drinks and tips in local bars. I also answered an ad in the paper for a lead guitar player for a band called Country Rainbow. I had no idea I'd actually get the job because I didn't know any country, but they would tell me the key they played each song in and I'd make up something. Again, I had a lot of fun.
After 2 years, I moved back to North Carolina where I mostly jammed again until I formed a band with some guys I went to church with. We called ourselves Oasis and did mostly old rock songs with changed lyrics. I played an old Ibanez Blazer.... sweet guitar... wish I still had it! I played in another "gospel" group called Heavenly Vision and then in a small orchestra. Then I played lead with a couple of country bands (Coyote & Mocskville) and several rock bands (Cross Tyme, Rock Bottom, Mustang, The Late Shift, Burning Sensations and others). After one of the rock bands folded, I got a call from the bass player, Steve Meade, who wanted me to come over and jam with some guys. Originally it was Steve, John Sanford on drums, Kevin Hayes on keyboards and Rick Lloyd & myself on guitars. We called ourselves Working Stiffs and we played mostly blues.... my God! , it was so much fun! I love the blues and there seemed to be a connection with what I have on the inside, my voice, my guitar playing , and the blues. Rick taught me an incredible amount about blues & guitar playing. He is an awesome guitarist and a great song writer, too. Unfortunately, we folded after 3 years and I had already started playing with a variety band called Vision. Vision had a good sound and we got a lot of jobs because we play jazz, rock, country, disco, .... you name it. But we used a sequencer and I will never get use to the "heartlessness" of it. We folded after 7 years. Recently I sang with a band called Fat City - great group of musicians! I'd really like to just do originals - maybe some day.
Also during this time, I have hooked up with a good friend and songwriter, Forrest Sisk... I call him Tree. He and I have some kind of magic when we get together. We've written some very good songs in my opinion. We used to do a lot of writing and playing, but he's moved so we don't get together much - sad. A couple of other songwriters that have really inspired me are Fatia Brupbache and Ann Harden. Other inspirations in my life would have to include God, of course. Then there's Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Eric Clapton.. all the R & B singers and players of my youth... whose music is still around! I've always thought I'd like to sing like Paul Rodgers and play guitar like Larry Carlton... :
Now I'm playing Lead and singing in a classic rock band called Yesterdaze with Lowell Everheart, Clay Hoff,. Check us out on the YESTERDAZE page.
I've got some talented kids, too. My daughter, Shannon, used to play keyboards. Joshua plays guitar and bass. Isaac plays guitar and drums. Phillip and Amber (2 of my grandkids) play guitar, too.
... I'm just thankful to be able to play and sing....
I have a strong belief in God, but it wasn't till I hit rock bottom that I realized how important music is to me. I guess everyone needs an outlet. Music is mine. No matter what style of music I am singing, I want the people listening
to feel what I feel on the inside.
Update: Since I retired in September of 2010, I have been volunteering at a local hospital. I go around and sing
to patients one-one-one. I thought I had found it all in music when I discovered the blues, but giving to these
people is by far the greatest thing I have ever done.. We've all been given so much in this life we live. It sure
feels good to give back a little.