STARLITE RECORDS
(pictured above doing a recording session at American Sound Studio in Memphis)
TOM MATHIS
Tom with Wilford Ray and The Bayou Band,
longest tenured member of the Louis1ana Hayride.
Biography of Tom Mathis
Posted September 1, 1999
He began playing the guitar at 8 years of age. As a teenager, he worked as the lead guitarist in many of the McNairy county Tennessee night clubs where the "Walking Tall" movies were filmed.
Tom worked his way through college as a session guitarist. He was the staff guitarist for" American Sound Studio" when Memphis gave birth to Rock and Roll, playing on the Elvis "Back In Memphis" Albums. He can also be heard on many of the Bobby Goldsboro and B. J. Thomas hits from those days.
After leaving college, Tom worked as a road guitarist and songwriter. He toured with Johnny Duncan and Janie Fricke for 4 years. He also played for Del Reeves and Freddie Hart during the 1980s.
Tom then formed his own band, "The Broken Dollar Band" with Wanda Feathers, (daughter of Charlie Feathers) as the lead vocalist. They toured until 1983.
In 1993 Tom became the staff guitarist for "The Mississippi Hayride" with Wilford Ray. This was a live radio broadcast from Memphis. He was then re- united with his old friend Eddie Bond. Tom became the staff guitarist for Eddie` s television show on WHBQ channel 13 in Memphis.
Tom still does some session work for Eddie and the "Stomper Band". He still remains in demand as one of the most sought after session guitarist and since 1995 he has been doing some European tours as the lead guitarist for "The Bellamy Brothers".
As a songwriter, Tom has had 23 top 10 country hits and was inducted into the "Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1995. He was inducted into "The Rockabilly Hall Of Fame" in 1998.
