Tom Goss is a unique voice among gay singer-songwriters—a former Catholic seminarian turned guitar-toting troubadour whose heartfelt lyrics, hooky melodies and quirky charm have earned him a dedicated national following.
Since he started performing in DC coffeehouses in 2006, the tireless 29-year-old hasn’t let any moss grow under his trademark flip flops: two full-length CDs (Naked Without and Back to Love), two EPs (Rise and The Politics of Love), a live DVD (Live At Terry’s), four music videos—two rose to the #1 and #2 viewer-choice slots on MTV’s LOGO network—and nearly 500 shows in 100 cities nationwide. His latest CD, Turn It Around, releases April 12, supported by a ten-week, 50-city tour.
Tom is an unabashed romantic, known for his songs about love (many inspired by his new husband Mike, whom he married in October 2010) and longing. Recorded in Steubenville, Ohio, at Innovation Studios in December, Turn It Around glides from soulful, pensive ballads to infectious pop, from tender melodies to muscular rhythms, buoyed by an unflagging belief in the healing power of love. Drawing comparisons to his contemporaries such as Matt Nathanson, Jason Mraz and Lee DeWyze, Tom’s intimate live performances reflect his gift for incisive personal narratives. Tom is committed politically as well, having released songs and videos in support of marriage equality and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” (A video for the song “Lover,” from his last album, is currently in rotation on LOGO—it tells the story of a soldier killed in Afghanistan while his husband waits at home, and stars servicemen who were discharged under don’t ask, don’t tell.)
Like his music, Tom’s story is a mix of struggle and spirit. A native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, he spent his high school and college years as a wrestler, leaving the family sport of gymnastics for one better suited to his teenage aggression. Following a brief stint as a teacher, he moved to Washington, DC in 2004 to enter Catholic seminary. It didn’t go as planned, and he abandoned his quest to become a priest—but not his desire to spread a message of hope and reconciliation through his music.
Now he’s winning followers across the country while still finding time to lead and raise funds for a DC nonprofit called Charlie’s Place that provides free meals, clothing and social services to the homeless. It’s the perfect day job for a man who lives what he sings.
