Biography

Tom grew up in a musical family. His mother played piano, and her cousin Ken Lane was Dean Martin's pianist and the composer of "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes," the hit theme song of Dean's long-running TV show. Tom's father learned to play clarinet from his cousin Dave Tarras, a legendary klezmer musician.

Tom began playing the piano at age 5. By 6 he had composed a piano sonata, and at 9 he won a city-wide piano competition. A short run of clarinet lessons ended when he fractured his clarinet by smashing it across his bedpost. (He maintains to this day that Jimi Hendrix and The Who "stole my move.") His musical interests shifted soon thereafter, from the classical music and musical comedies favored by his parents, to pop music and jazz.

Tom attended Berklee School Of Music and New England Conservatory Of Music. Subsequently, after a "misspent" youth touring with rock bands, jazz groups and big bands, he went to medical school and got a "real job." Meanwhile he continued his musical life, focusing increasingly on songwriting. He has had songs covered on US major label and international releases, and songs placed on the HBO, CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox TV networks. His current singer-songwriter album, "Man On The Ledge", is available in all the usual places. He lives with his wife in Los Angeles.