A retired school teacher of 35 years with the Irving Independent School District is the lead singer and guitarist. Since retirement, he operates his guitar shop repairing and inlaying instruments. Besides working in his shop, playing golf, and performing, he has found time to write more than 1000 songs.
He has been voted "Songwriter of the Year" and "Best Male Vocalist" by The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America numerous times since 1974.
In 1982 Tom received a coveted "ASCAP" award in Nashville, Tennessee for writing "You May See Me Walkin", performed by Ricky Skaggs. The song reached #5 on the national billboard charts.
