How to Hire TOM WAITS For Your Event!
(Please note: Typically, this artist refuses to consider private engagements.)
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Based in: California
Based in: Sonoma County
Hire: Tom Waits
GRAMMY award-winning Tom Waits, born Thomas Alan Waits on December 7, 1949, is an iconic American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor known for his distinctive gravelly voice, eclectic musical style, and vivid storytelling in his lyrics.
Waits was born and raised in a middle-class family in Pomona, California. Inspired by the work of Bob Dylan and the Beat Generation, he began singing on the San Diego folk circuit.
In 1972, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he worked as a songwriter before signing a recording contract with Asylum Records.
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In 1973, he released his debut album, “Closing Time“. This album introduced audiences to his unique blend of jazz, blues, and folk influences, and set the stage for a career marked by experimentation and boundary-pushing. Over the years, Waits has released numerous critically acclaimed albums, including “Rain Dogs” (1985), “Swordfishtrombones” (1983), and “Bone Machine” (1992), each showcasing his evolving musical style and lyrical prowess.
Waits’ music is characterized by its gritty, often cinematic quality, with themes ranging from love and loneliness to the underbelly of society. His distinctive voice, which has been described as sounding like “it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car,” adds depth and emotion to his storytelling.
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His songs have been covered by Bruce Springsteen, Tori Amos and the Ramones and he has written songs for Johnny Cash and Norah Jones, among others.
In 1987, he appeared as a master of ceremonies on several dates of Elvis Costello‘s “Wheel of Fortune” tour.
Tom Waits has also found success as an actor, appearing in films such as “Down by Law” (1986), “Short Cuts” (1993), and “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (2018). His film work often reflects the same idiosyncratic charm and gritty realism found in his music.
In 2011, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, introduced by Neil Young. As of 2011, according to Nielsen Soundscan, Waits has sold 4.6 million albums in the United States.
In 2023, Tom Waits joined Iggy Pop on the Confidential Show, where they swapped stories and songs.
Musicians who have expressed admiration for Waits’s work include Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Nanci Griffith, Joe Strummer of The Clash, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Black Francis of Pixies and James Hetfield of Metallica. Bob Dylan, a major influence on the young Waits, called Waits one of his “secret heroes”.
Tom Waits has garnered widespread acclaim and a dedicated fanbase, earning multiple Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. He remains a respected and influential figure in the music industry, known for his uncompromising artistic vision and unparalleled storytelling abilities.
His discography includes 17 studio albums, 3 live albums, 7 compilation albums, 23 singles, 2 soundtracks, and 1 box set. Waits has also released one video album and 16 music videos.
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