Tom Lonardo
Tom Lonardo, born in Paris, Tn., comes from a musical family. He grew up in the family's music store - LONARDO PIANO COMPANY - and in his father's 10 piece dance band - Tom Lonardo & his Orchestra - "Tops In Dancing and Listening Pleasure".
Tom has played drums for over 45 years. He holds a BM and MM from The University of Mississippi and attended The Berklee School of Music. He studied with Alan Dawson, but is mostly "self-taught". He was elected into the Ole Miss Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. Tom tries to play the drum set every night somewhere...usually around Memphis.
Since the late 1960's, he has worked with many local and area bands including Phase II, The Tom Ferguson Trio, The Mississippians, George Coleman, The Checkmates, The Tony Thomas Trio, Edwin Hubbard and Prana, T.O. Earnheart, Gene Rush, Back Swing, Hot Cotton, Dog Police, Di Anne Price and Her Boyfriends, Gary Johns & Friends, The Charlie Wood Trio, K. C. Ray, and The Jumpin' Chi-Chis.
Tom can be heard on recordings by Di Anne Price, Casey Lipe, Gary Johns, Kallen Esperian, Ed Finney, Tim McCarver, Jim Johnson, Eden Brent, Ruby Wilson, The Memphis Horns, Waddy Mitchell, Jim Shearer, Marvin Stamm, Willie Toliver, The Bar-Kays, The Ole Miss Jazz Band, The Memphis Symphony, Tom Sanders, Terry Thompson, Edwin Hubbard, Charlie Wood, Sam Shoup, Tony Thomas, Natalia Farran, and over 10,000 Jingles!
Around town Tom plays with Di Anne, Gary, Charlie, Kallen, Bill Hurd, Holly Shelton, Jim Spake, Tim Goodwin, Joe Restivo, Gene Rush, Gary Topper, Sam Shoup, and Tony Thomas.
Sometimes he is the drummer for the great Mose Allison. When Mose comes to the Mid South, they usually play Memphis, Oxford, and Jackson , Ms. or maybe The Bluebird in Nashville or a festival in Hot Springs. In 2007 they played Morgan Freeman's GROUND ZERO Blues club in Clarksdale.
Tom teaches percussion at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis.
He is endorsed by the Memphis Drum Shop.