Way Back When
I got my first guitar in 1965 and worked my way through the Bob Dylan Songbook to learn the basics. Folk Clubs came next, and I entertained as a solo guest artist in the North East of England before studying music whilst training as a teacher and having the benefit of classical lessons for three years. In the 1970’s I played guitar and mandolin with the East Anglian folk band Merlin which came to an end when I moved to Devon in 1984.

In the 80’s and 90’s I learnt the art of jazz guitar playing in South Devon with bands such as: Jazzing Around; Wind in the Wires; and The South Hams Hot Club. During this time, I also developed solo guitar arrangements of popular jazz standards and began playing solo at weddings, restaurants etc.
Tom with Trilemma
  With Trilemma
Tom with Monmouth Big Band More Recently
We moved to the Wye Valley in 2001 and I began to play a variety of styles with a range of bands such as: Loose Covers – with Andy Herbert on bass; Trilemma – with Andy and Hannah Bengough-Smith; Twisted Blues – a 6 piece blues band with style; and Twisted Jazz – playing acoustic jazz the way we like it to be! Currently, I am also guitarist with the Monmouth Big Band. Over the last ten years, a number of my songs and compositions have been used by other artists, and have also been played on BBC Local Radio.
On main stage with the Monmouth Big Band