Tom Hemby - Guitar
Tom Hemby, Guitar - Nashville, TN
When I met Tom in 2019 he was playing a gig with The Smoking Section…I knew who he was from his session work but had never seen him play live….I knew the name of course (all musicians do) BUT NOT the face! When he was introduced I was like OMG!!!! It’s him…I was marveling at his playing all night (and Mark Baldwin from Mecca 3) and was stunned it was him…the one thing was, the guitars were soooo low in the mix I was straining to hear him…I ended up moving so I could get his stage volume directly so I could hear….
I went up to him after the show…introduced myself and said my buddy Luke played Bogners…I felt like an idiot as I didn’t know what to say to him!!! We ended up talking on FB and I asked him to play on my record….he said cool…that was it…a lifelong friend, confidant and an absolute idol of mine as a buddy….pretty damn cool!!!!😎 He made this record fun, and helped keep the train rolling down the track…HE brought Michael Omartian in…HE has been a rock on this record…and HE has also been that, in my life…I couldn’t be happier sharing this record with him…and to have him AND Stan Cotey together is an embarrassment of riches no one deserves….BUT, I’ll take it!!!!
Hey Tom, I can hear your guitar now…and it sounds Fantastic!!!!
-Joe Vana
Here is Tom’s Bio….grab a beverage and give it a read!
In November of 1979 Tom moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in the music business. With a Grammy & 5 Grammy nominations, 4 Dove Awards, and multiple Dove award nominations, Tom made a lot of noise as a World Class Session player and touring pro.
Nonetheless, here's a partial list of artists that he has either "recorded with”…had songs "recorded by", or have produced since 1979 which does not include all the legendary studio musicians of which he has the great honor of sitting beside on 1000's of recording dates. This also does not include the many jingles, commercials, demos, movies, nor TV shows that he was blessed to have participated in over the years.
Starting with the King of rock & roll: Elvis Presley, Michael McDonald, Jessica Simpson, Kenny Loggins, Amy Grant, Richard Marx, Donna Summer, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Peter Cetera, Barry Manilow, Cliff Richard, Faith Hill, Hank Williams Jr., Wynonna Judd, Brian McKnight, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, Bill Champlin, Mandisa, Christopher Cross, Steve Winwood, Melinda Doolittle, Heather Headley, Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band), Brian Cadd, Michael W. Smith, George Straight, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Glen Campbell, Petra, Dionne Warwick, Michael English, Chaka Kahn, Jon Secada, Sierra, EnglebertHumperdinck, Steven Curtis Chapman, Phil Keaggy, Charlie McCoy, Joseph & Jennifer Bosco, Lee Greenwood, Charlie Daniels, Larry Stewart, Nashville Guitars (Louie Shelton) Stephanie Mills, Michael Martin Murphy, Yolanda Adams, Bruce Hibbard, Mervin Warren, Mindy McCready, Andy Williams, B J Thomas, “Marty Row” of “Diamond Rio, Collin Raye, Joe Vana, Bob Carlisle, Bill LaBounty, Trey Anastasio, Ricky Skaggs, Paul Shaffer, Nathan East, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff Berlin, The Imperials, Carman, Bill Gaither, Point Of Grace, 4 Him, Michael Omartian, The Imperials, Garth Brooks, Sandi Patty, Paul Overstreet, Adam Nitti, Jesse Dixon, Bruce Carroll, Martha Munizzi, Stormie Omartian, Don Moen, Twila Paris, Steven Curtis Chapman, The Crabb Family, John Schlitt, Morris Chapman, Michael Whittaker, Guy Penrod, Leonard Cohen, Tony Orlando, Donnie McClurkin, Ty Herndon, Ernie Haase, Gary Chapman, David Meece, Jaimiee Paul, Michael Sykes, David Phelps, Marc Cohn, James Ingram, Edwin McCain, Yolanda Adams, Fred Hammond, Niki Costa, Keb Mo, The Nashville Symphony, Trace Balin, Bill LaBounty, The Judds, Deana Carter, Jo Dee Messina, Barry Manilow, Trisha Yearwood, Jackie Velasquez, Martina McBride, Lynn Anderson, Tanya Tucker, Con Hunley, Montgomery Gentry, George Strait, Dez Duron, Kenny Rogers, Kathy Lee Gifford, Vestal Goodman, Ann Downing, Annie Moses Band, Mark Schultz, Vickie Yoh’e, Benjamin Utecht, The Cathedrals, Doug Brons, The Hoppers, The Judds, Gaither Vocal Band, Joyce Martin, Letica Wolf, Matt Brouwer, Kloud 9, Travis Cottrell, Althea Rene, Nicole C Mullen, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Matt Belsante, T.D. Jakes, Kim Boyce, Miranda Townsend, Phillip Martin, Lynda Randle, Legacy 5, Jeff Polen, Allison Durham Speer, Cheri Keaggy, Dan Hamby, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Gregory Paul Smith, Barbara Fairchild, The Greenes, Veggie Tales, John Hagee, Anointed, Judy Jacobs, Tom Dolan, Farrell & Farrell, Dottie Rambo, Rachel Farris, Jim Murphy, Christ Tabernacle Choir, Denise Davis, Kerri Sherwood, Michael Card, Freda Battle, Larnelle Harris, Geron Davis, Damaris, Mark Douthit, Stephen Newby, The Steeles, The Martins, The Happy Goodman Family, Susan Gray, The Darins, Danny Gans, The Perrys, Jimmy Swaggart, Walt Mills, Karen Peck, The Civil War, Maranatha Singers, The Paynes, Promise Keepers, B.C./A.D., Whitecross, Jacque DeShetler, Bill & Gloria Gaither, Janet Paschal, Dion, Terry McMillan, Pam Thum, Wilcox & Pardoe, The Players, Steve Green, Rich Mullins, Jamie Slocum, Selah, Lisa Bevill, Kelly Nelon Thompson, Babbie Mason, The Nelons, First Call, John Starnes, Chris Willis, Rick Orozco, Phillips Craig & Dean, Keith Dudley, Carolyn Arends, Gary Oliver, Kelly Garner, Come Together: America Salutes the Beatles, Aaron & Jeffery, 4Him, Ron David Moore, Wayne Watson, Truth, Paul Smith, David Mullen, The New Young Messiah, Dallas Holm, Brent Henderson, Angie & Debbie Winans, Kenny Marks, Trey Lorenz, Billy Sprague, Tom McCain, Rick Cua, Terri McFarland, Bret Cook, Rachel Rachel, Michael Peace, Stephanie Mills, Jeoffrey Benward, Al Denson, Ray Boltz, Steve & Annie Chapman, Don Thomas, Jim Murray, Donna McElroy, Riley Harrison Clark, Tony Melendez, The Erwins, Ryan Seaton, The Blackwood Brothers, The Christ Church Choir, Morgan Cryar, Dan Scott, Susan Ketron, Micah Peacock, Ponder Sykes & Wright, Bruce Cudmore, Phillip Sandifer, David & Lisa Binion, Cheryl Ping Leonard, Robyn Sonneveldt, Ilonka Deaton, Craig Smith, Zane & Donna King, Kerry Conrad, Jack Jezzro, Nick D’Virgilio, Angie Lamara, Marsha Bartenetti, Bob Pressner, Billy Blackwood, Count Laws, Michael McLean, Norman Ramsey, Ivan parker, Denee’ Varnum, Taylor Lynn, Russ Taff, Jim Brady Trio, Sierra Black, Mark Roberts, Jim Wagy, David Scott, Gary Lloyd, Scott & Morgan Carter, the Booth Brothers, Larry The Cable Guy, The Goads, John Anderson, Archer/Park (Randy Archer and Johnny Park), Clint Black, Suzy Bogguss, Gary Chapman, Billy Dean, Radney Foster, James Garner, Mel Gibson, Noel Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hal Ketchum, Tracy Lawrence, Kathy Mattea, Reba McEntire, John Michael Montgomery and many more.