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After picking up the mandolin in the late 1970’s to get a melody lead heard over the ‘Guitar Army’ jams, Tom started a band of pickers (and a flutist) aptly named ‘Dithering’ that started the music scene at Murphy’s Pub in Seattle. After being fired (by mutual consent) for anti-dithering intentions, he went on to form the busking-for-beer, then regional performing band ‘Cascade Mountain Ramblers.' Then he joined ‘Crossfire,’ who won the Northwest region’s part of a national contest sponsored by a pizza company that was run by a true Southern redneck. No one ever got any pizza. When ‘Lonesome Ridge’ needed a mandolin player, the call was made and Tom joined that band of three semi-traditionalists, a judge, and a redneck, which became one of the region's top performing bands for seven years straight. When the redneck left for Utah, the band disbanded, leaving Tom stranded to cover jams and various picking parties, and luckily available to join ‘Back Burner,’ whose members have been a part his life for many years. Tom’s pleasure in being part of a redneck-free band that stretches the limits of ‘Americana’ is apparent in his observable joy in performances. Tom performs with his John Sullivan mandolins, and wears a ponytail, largely to cover his red neck. |