Tommy Z

Top 10 Billboard Blues, Top 10 iTunes Blues and Number 1 charting/selling artist Tommy Z hails from Buffalo, NY. He has toured extensively around the world fronting his own group as an international/national festival headliner, and also as sideman to the likes of Grammy winner Pinetop Perkins. Inducted into Buffalo’s Music Hall of Fame in 2007 he’s also done numerous tours for US troops around the world in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Egypt the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Micronesia etc. via USO/AFE. His award-winning and acclaimed guitar playing, singing and songwriting combines the best in classic and contemporary blues with pop, rock, jazz and funk influences. The last two self-produced albums, “Sometimes” 2013 and “Blizzard of Blues” were both issued on his South Blossom Records label and accepted for the first round of voting at the Grammy Awards in their respective categories; contemporary blues album, best American Roots performance/song and also CD package. In 2018 and 2019 The TZB headlined the 2nd biggest New Years Eve Ball Drop in the country to an expected 40,000 (they were also booked for 2020 which was cancelled over the virus). 2019 Included headlining festivals in Denmark and again in Colombia, South America followed by support for Robert Cray and Jimmie Vaughan’s tours. The new album for a 2021 release entitled, “Plug in and Play” features songs written and produced by three-time Grammy-award winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Jagger/Richards, Clapton, etc.).

Offstage Tommy has composed TV/film music for the “Red Hot Chili Peppers Biography” on A&E. He wrote the St. Louis Blues (NHL) victory song in 2009, has a variety of placements on NBC/Discovery/Biography/Animal Planet (co-writing the “Swamp Wars” show main title with music supervisor Matt Kierscht) and many more. He is also the Sunday Blues radio host on Buffalo’s NPR affiliate WBFO 88.7 FM where he programs five hours of music every week for the past five plus years. His passion for teaching has been put to use as a teacher and master class clinician for decades.