Thomas Jacob Cunningham

Biography

Tom began playing music as a youngster around the age of eight, with three older siblings that all played and or sang, as did his mother, father and grandparents. Tom first remembers singing at coffee shop “Hootenannies” with his brother and sisters. He learned guitar from them, borrowing their guitars when they weren’t looking. His brother Barrie is also a successful musician, singer and producer. Tom began violin in elementary school but soon went to drums in the school band. Some of his fondest memories are singing and playing guitar in church. Tom began writing songs, playing and singing solo gigs covering popular singer songwriter hits by James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, Cat Stevens, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Donovan, Van Morrison, you get the picture! Then while camping in Yosemite, Tom met an amazing guitar player and songwriter named Don Humphries. About 15 years his senior Don had traveled from Ashville North Carolina where he was a successful guitarist and songwriter playing with the master himself, Bill Monroe, along with other bluegrass legends Norman Blake and Tut Taylor. Tom picked up a flat-pick and learned all the standard fiddle tunes and bluegrass songs working with Don. It was during this time in the early 1970s that Tom began concentrating on fiddle and mandolin as well as guitar. Don Humphries, Les Choy, Peter Tilton, David Wiltie and Tom formed a band called The Daydreamer's Ball. Tom calls that his “Bluegrass College” and still keeps in touch with Don and “the boys”. He has been making a living as a musician ever since. Moving back to San Diego in 1976 Tom picked up a Telecaster and joined a country band with Brush Arbor’s lead singer Kenny Munds, adding the Nashville chicken pickin’ licks to his arsenal. Now living in San Diego, Tom has played in countless bands, including Mountain Jazz progressive country band Beau Weevil, The KCBQ Flatbed Band followed by The KSON Flatbed Show. In 1993, he was named San Diego’s CCMA Fiddler of the Year. Tom took a gig as Sea World’s Dolphin Show host and emcee in 1995 playing and singing for thousands of visitors each day for several years. Currently Tom performs as a solo, studio musician and works with many bands including his own TC Trio mixing Americana, Country, Bluegrass and Western Swing, Lighthouse, a traditional Bluegrass band, Superstars Live In Concert and Hot August Nights, both Las Vegas based tribute shows and San Diego legends, The Jackstraws, a multifaceted eclectic acoustic group. Tom still performs at many churches and is on the Country Gospel worship team at his church in Vista CA. More recently Tom is appearing weekly on RFD-TV’s “The Cowboys’ Kitchen” with Grady Spears which airs every Friday at 2:30pm PST and repeats Sundays at 2:00pm. Tom is a father to three children ranging in age from 13 to 33 and thinks of fatherhood as a wonderful blessing and the most important job in the world next to being a husband to his lovely wife Jacqueline! Having survived melanoma cancer in 2001 after two surgeries and a long recovery Tom is healthy, cancer free and enjoying every aspect of life, family and friends.

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