Bill Toms has evolved to become one of the best orators in the music world today. He is definitely the reincarnate troubadour. With a guitar, a pen, a lot of passion, Bill Toms connects to an audience and embraces the American traditions of rhythm, blues, soul, folk, and country. His gifts of music and storytelling, paired with his creative compulsion for songs that burrow deep into the soul, have his dedicated fans continually coming back for more.
He joined Pittsburgh"s legendary band, The Houserockers, as lead guitarist in 1987. The band's meteoric rise into the professional music scene enabled Bill to tour the United States and Europe repeatedly. The Houserockers opened for and played with a long and impressive list of notables, such as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
During his 19 years of playing guitar and singing back-up vocals for the Houserockers, Toms' recorded six studio albums and one live concert album. In 1995, the acclaimed CD, "American Babylon," was recorded and produced by Bruce Springsteen.
"We keep growing and developing our tools to communicate. That is the definition of our art." B. Toms/
Though he can rock with the best of them, Bill has another musical side, exploring the folk tradition of Americana with an introspective pen.
Harry Funk ~ Washington Pa Observer-Reporter:
Bill Toms' solo performances have taken him all over the United States and Europe. Some of the headline artists Bill has opened for include Levon Helm, Marshall Crenshaw, The Kennedys, Steve Forbert, Dave Alvin, and Ellis Paul.
In addition to his previous five studio CD's and one EP, his latest CD, "Spirits, Chaos, and a Troubadour Soul" was released to critical acclaim in April, 2008
Upcoming projects also include:
Reissue of his CD "One Lonesome Moment" w/ bonus tracks
DVD Documentary – scheduled for June 2009 release
Live CD scheduled for December, 2009
New studio recording – scheduled for a 2010 release
Bill Toms' Annual Thanksgiving Benefit Concert
Summer 2009 European concert tour
2009 US/European tour solo and with his band, Hard Rain
DISCOGRAPHY
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers:
"Rock and Real" - Rounder Records, 1989
"Swimming with the Sharks" - Rounder Records, 1991
"End of the Century" - Razor and Tie, 1992
"American Babylon"- Razor and Tie, 1995
"Coming Home" - Big Star, 1997
"Down the Road Apiece, Live" - Schoolhouse Records, 1999
"True Companion" – Schoolhouse Records, 2003
With Bill Toms and Hard Rain:
"Paradise Avenue" - Schoolhouse Records, 1997
"My Own Eyes" - Moondog Records, 1999
"This Old World" - Moondog/Schoolhouse Records, 2001
"The West End Kid" – Moondog Records, 2005
"Spirits, Chaos, and a Troubadour Soul' – AmeriSon Records, 2008
"Live At Moondogs: Another Moonlight Mystery" - AmeriSon Records, 2010
Bill Toms Solo:
"One Lonesome Moment" - Out of the Rain Records, 2002
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