Thomas Richard Hamilton Jr. (born December 31, 1978, in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, Pennsylvania) is an American songwriter, musician, and producer best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the bands
Brothers Past,
American Babies
American Babies are an indie rock / Americana (music), Americana band from Philadelphia that is led by guitarist and producer Tom Hamilton Jr., Tom Hamilton. Since forming in 2007, the band has released three full-length records and two EPs. The ba ...
,
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Joe Russo's Almost Dead is an American rock band formed in 2013 that mainly covers the music of the Grateful Dead. Formed by Furthur and Benevento/Russo Duo drummer Joe Russo, the band played their first show on January 26, 2013 at the Broo ...
, Bill Kreutzmann's
Billy & the Kids
Billy & the Kids is an American rock band formed in 2014 by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Joe Russo's Almost Dead guitarist Tom Hamilton, Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis and the Disco Biscuits keyboardist Aron Magner.
Origins a ...
, and Electron.
Brothers Past
Hamilton formed Brothers Past in 1996, straight out of high school, with classmates Joe D'Amico (bass), Nick Desiderio (drums), and his older brother Jim Hamilton (guitar). In 1998, Hamilton met Tom McKee and asked him to join the band as a keyboardist and vocalist. This initial line-up toured the Mid-Atlantic area heavily until 1999, when D'Amico, Desiderio, and the elder Hamilton brother left the band to pursue more normal lifestyles. In the end, Hamilton and McKee settled on hiring
Clay Parnell and
Rick Lowenberg
Rick may refer to:
People
*Rick (given name), a list of people with the given name
*Alan Rick (born 1976), Brazilian politician, journalist, pastor and television personality
*Johannes Rick (1869–1946), Austrian-born Brazilian priest and mycol ...
as the new rhythm section in 2000 and began touring again in 2001.
Hamilton has been the primary songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist for Brothers Past, as well as co-producer for all of their recorded releases.
American Babies
In 2006 Hamilton started playing sporadic acoustic concerts around the Philadelphia area billed as "Tom Hamilton's American Babies", mainly as a way to stay occupied between Brothers Past tours. As the internal relationships in Brothers Past disintegrated and his musical tastes changed Hamilton focused more on acoustic oriented music and decided to make a new band geared towards his new muse.
American Babies
American Babies are an indie rock / Americana (music), Americana band from Philadelphia that is led by guitarist and producer Tom Hamilton Jr., Tom Hamilton. Since forming in 2007, the band has released three full-length records and two EPs. The ba ...
was formed in 2007 and soon after they released a self-titled album. This was followed by their sophomore release ''Flawed Logic'' in 2011 and third album ''Knives and Teeth'' on October 15, 2013. In 2016, American Babies released their forth album, ''An Epic Battle Between Light & Dark.'' Tom described the record as a discussion of both what it is like to experience depression and what it takes to maintain hope while in the midst of it.
Electron
Since 2000, Tom Hamilton has been playing with Electron along with current members,
Marc Brownstein
The Disco Biscuits are an American jam band from Philadelphia. The band consists of Allen Aucoin (drums), Marc "Brownie" Brownstein (bass guitar, vocals), Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig (guitar, vocals), and Aron Magner (keyboards, synths, vocal ...
,
Mike Greenfield, and
Aron Magner.
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
In 2013, Tom Hamilton also began playing with
Joe Russo,
Dave Dreiwitz
Dave Dreiwitz (born January 2, 1966) is a multi-instrumentalist, best known as the bassist for the band Ween since 1997.
Biography
Dave Dreiwitz was born on January 2, 1966, in New York City, New York to traditional jazz musician parents, Richa ...
,
Marco Benevento and
Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger (born October 12, 1977) is an American guitarist. His work touches on many styles including psychedelic rock, soul, country, jazz, and surf rock. His collaborations with other artists include Phil Lesh, John Scofield, Joe Russo, J ...
in a
Grateful Dead tribute band called
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Joe Russo's Almost Dead is an American rock band formed in 2013 that mainly covers the music of the Grateful Dead. Formed by Furthur and Benevento/Russo Duo drummer Joe Russo, the band played their first show on January 26, 2013 at the Broo ...
.
Ghost Light
In 2018, Tom Hamilton along with
Holly Bowling
Holly Bowling (born May 11, 1984) is an American pianist. She is best known as a former member of the band Ghost Light, in which she performed on keys and vocals. Classically trained, she has transcribed some of the music of Phish and the Gratef ...
, Raina Mullen, Steve Lyons, & Scotty Zwang formed the band
Ghost Light.
Grateful Dead Alumni and Related Performances
Hamilton first played with
Grateful Dead bassist,
Phil Lesh on March 14–15, 2014, at Lesh's
Terrapin Crossroads
Terrapin Crossroads was a music venue,, bar, and restaurant active from 2011 until 2021 in San Rafael, California, founded by former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh.
Concept
On March 29, 2011, Phil Lesh posted a statement on the Furthur.net site ...
in
San Rafael, California
San Rafael ( ; Spanish for " St. Raphael", ) is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's populatio ...
, as a member of
Phil and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.
Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including ...
. This was followed by another concert at Terrapin Crossroads on October 6, 2014 which was billed as "East Coast All-Stars", and a three night run on December 29–31 to close out 2014 at the
Capitol Theatre in
Port Chester, New York
Port Chester is a village in the U.S. state of New York and the largest part of the town of Rye in Westchester County by population. At the 2010 U.S. census, the village of Port Chester had a population of 28,967 and was the fifth-most popu ...
billed as "PhilRAD".
In October 2014, Hamilton was announced as part of
Grateful Dead's
Bill Kreutzmann
William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...
's new band
Billy & the Kids
Billy & the Kids is an American rock band formed in 2014 by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Joe Russo's Almost Dead guitarist Tom Hamilton, Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis and the Disco Biscuits keyboardist Aron Magner.
Origins a ...
. Also in the band are
Reed Mathis
Reed or Reeds may refer to:
Science, technology, biology, and medicine
* Reed bird (disambiguation)
* Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times
* Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales
* R ...
and
Aron Magner.
On August 15, 2015
Bob Weir joined Hamilton and his
Billy & the Kids
Billy & the Kids is an American rock band formed in 2014 by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Joe Russo's Almost Dead guitarist Tom Hamilton, Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis and the Disco Biscuits keyboardist Aron Magner.
Origins a ...
bandmates at
The Peach Music Festival
The Peach Music Festival is a music festival started by the Allman Brothers Band and Live Nation Entertainment that has been held annually since 2012 at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Montage Mountain Ski Resort in Scranton, Pennsylvania ...
in
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Scranton is the largest city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wyoming V ...
On September 12, 2015, Hamilton played with the
Grateful Dead's
Bob Weir,
Bill Kreutzmann
William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...
, and
Mickey Hart at the third annual
Lockn' Festival in
Arrington, Virginia Arrington is a census-designated place (CDP) in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 708. Harmony Hill Bed and Breakfast is the only lodging location in Arrington, run by innkeepers Wendie and Jay Fines. ...
during
Billy & the Kids
Billy & the Kids is an American rock band formed in 2014 by Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Joe Russo's Almost Dead guitarist Tom Hamilton, Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis and the Disco Biscuits keyboardist Aron Magner.
Origins a ...
' headlining set.
On June 29, 2022 Hamilton played with
Melvin Seals
Melvin Seals (born 1953 in San Francisco, California) is an American musician, best known as a longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band.
Early life and career
Melvin Seals began playing piano at age eight and began his musical adventure playin ...
,
Dave Schools
David Allen Schools (born December 11, 1964) is a bass player and founding member of American rock band Widespread Panic. He is also a record producer, songwriter and journalist with articles published in a wide variety of music magazines. Schoo ...
,
Duane Trucks
Duane Trucks (born December 28, 1988) is an American musician best known as the current drummer for Widespread Panic and Hard Working Americans.
Life and career
Duane Trucks was born on December 28, 1988, in Jacksonville, Florida. He began learn ...
, Jacklyn LaBranch, Lady Chi, and the
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
The Colorado Symphony is an American symphony orchestra located in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall, located in the Denver Performing ...
at the
Jerry Garcia’s 80th Birthday Symphonic Celebration held at
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure in the western United States, near Morrison, Colorado, west of Denver. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind ...
near
Morrison, Colorado
The Town of Morrison is a home rule municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 428 at the 2010 census. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is located nearby.
History
This small foothills settlement is named after George ...
.
Producer
In 2002 Hamilton produced a self-released recording for then unknown Philadelphia artist
Kurt Vile
Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during li ...
in the basement of his
West Chester, PA
West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neighb ...
home.
In 2008 Hamilton was hired by the
Disco Biscuits
The Disco Biscuits are an American jam band from Philadelphia. The band consists of Allen Aucoin (drums), Marc "Brownie" Brownstein (bass guitar, vocals), Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig (guitar, vocals), and Aron Magner (keyboards, synths, voca ...
to produce and record what would turn out to be their 2010 release ''
Planet Anthem''.
In 2009 Hamilton recorded and produced Philadelphia-based folk group,
Mason Porter
Mason A. Porter is an American mathematician and physicist currently at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He is an Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society.
He was elected to the 2018 class of fellows of the American Mathematical ...
's 2010 album ''
Thunder in the Valley''.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Tom Jr.
Guitarists from Philadelphia
1978 births
Living people
American rock guitarists
Billy & the Kids members
21st-century American guitarists
Joe Russo's Almost Dead members
American Babies members