About Me
Tom Larson was born in Maryland, but moved to Colorado at a young age. His family was very musical, so it was never a question whether he was going to play something, just what it might be. Like most children, early on making as much noise as possible seemed the best direction, so drums became the obvious choice. He bought his first drum set in junior high, then really started making some noise.
He went to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, studying Classical Percussion. He played in the San Juan Symphony, as well as picking up jazz and rock gigs around town. After a couple of years, he hit the road, landing in New Orleans. The amazing and seemingly unlimited assortment of music in New Orleans added to what he learned at the University of New Orleans. He graduated from the prestigious Jazz studies program there, studying with Ellis Marsalis, Harold Battiste, Steve Masakowski, David Lee, and Charles Blanq, and working privately with John Vidacovich. He played around the Crescent City, sampling everything from Jazz to Rock and Roll, Funk, Blues, World Beat, Latin, Zydeco, Cajun and Punk.Larson's next geographic move was to Nashville — Music City USA. Since arriving in 1996, he has become an in-demand session player, and become a part of the diverse of Music City scene. He has worked or recorded with Nashville bands Delicious Blues Stew, The Norris Twins, Gene Haffner Trio, Swing Thing, Three Corners, David Bennett, David Frazier, Homemade Water, Michael Ripoll, Steven Hunter, Blues Other Brothers, Seals and Seals, Scott Holt and Kort McCumber and McCumberland Gap.
Tom toured Korea with the Norris Twins performing for the USO in 1998 and toured the middle East performing with Homemade Water reaching Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Italy in 2001.
In the last couple years, he has recorded several solo albums, working on his own sound, in addition to appearing on numerous other artists' projects. He has been a part of a blues education workshop with internationally recognized educators Shannon Williford and James "Nick" Nixon, also providing a percussion workshop for the city parks department. He was named Music City Blues Drummer of the Year in 2001, and Percussionist of the Year in both 2001 and 2002, he was alson nominated for Percussionist of the year in 2003, 2004 and 2005.Diversity and grace — those qualities define Tom Larson's style.
