Tom was born and raised in Burlington, Iowa along the Mississippi river and its surrounding bluffs gave him foundation love of the natural world. Eventually this led him to teaching environmental education for 3 ½ years in California which is where he first started singing with kids.
He then moved to his brother’s farm in Wisconsin to teach a bit and learn animal husbandry, carpentry and masonry skills. After a few years of working with his hands, he began to miss working with kids. Music was his vehicle back to them.
Tom has performed full time since 1982 doing over 200 programs yearly. He now resides in rural Amherst, Wisconsin on 75 acres of rolling woods and fields with his wife, Louise and their sons, Broegy and Morgan and their dog and cat. Their home is both solar heated and solar electric. The sun also helps raise a big garden and many chickens each year. They ski, bike, run and walk on trails around their land. They live in a wonderful community of friends and neighbors. Louise is a reading teacher and an avid lake swimmer.