# Tom Hambridge

Thomas Jay Hambridge (born December 20, 1960) is an American rock, country, and blues, producer, songwriter, musician and vocalist. Hambridge has received two Grammy Awards, an ASCAP award, seven Grammy nominations, seven Boston Music Awards, and has been inducted into the Buffalo Hall of Fame. In December 2015, Hambridge was given the key to his hometown of Buffalo, New York with Mayor Byron Brown declaring December 28 "Tom Hambridge Day." Hambridge's songs have been recorded by several notable artists and have been featured in movie productions, commercials and television programs. He has been referred to as "The White Willie Dixon" by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Buddy Guy and Susan Tedeschi's "Secret Weapon".

## Biography

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Hambridge began learning the drums at the age of 5. He played his first paying gig, a bar mitzvah, in third grade. Throughout his school years, Hambridge played in garage bands, his high school orchestra and jazz band. After graduating from high school in 1979, he received a scholarship at Boston's Berklee College of Music.
He received his degree in Professional Music in 1983. After graduation, he worked for three years as drummer and lead singer for the blues guitarist Roy Buchanan. While working with Buchanan, Hambridge contributed as a musician on Buchanan's release, Live: Amazing Grace. In the meantime, he formed the band "T.H. and the Wreckage". In 1988, the band released Born to Rock, one of several independent, self-produced albums Hambridge has completed. Born To Rock was the first of the many Boston Music Awards he has received. In the meantime, he assisted promoters assemble backup bands for artists such as Bo Diddley, Percy Sledge, Chuck Berry, Gary Puckett, and Sha Na Na.
Hambridge released his own album Still Running in 1996.
In 1997, he produced Susan Tedeschi's Just Won't Burn. Hambridge wrote Tedeschi's Top 10 hits "Rock Me Right" and "It Hurt So Bad". In the meantime, he also released his own album Balderdash in 2000. Hambridge received a subsequent 2004 Grammy nomination (Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album) for his contributions on Johnny Winter's release I'm A Bluesman ("Cheatin' Blues" and "Lone Wolf"). Shortly thereafter, Hambridge released his album Bang N' Roll (2004) and the album Live (2007).
In 2008, he received Grammy nominations (Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album) for his work on Buddy Guy's Skin Deep. Skin Deep debuted at number 68 on the Billboard 200 which was the highest position of any of Guy's previous albums, and was number 1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. Hambridge released his own album Boogieman (2009). In 2011, he won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for co-writing and producing Buddy Guy's album Living Proof.
He was credited as the producer, songwriter and percussionist for George Thorogood and the Destroyers 2011 release 2120 South Michigan Ave., which included the song "Going Back" that reached number 1 on Classic Rock Radio. Also in 2011, he wrote and produced B. B. King and Buddy Guy's duet "Stay Around A Little Longer."
Other recognized 2011 successes include writing/co-writing all songs on Quinn Sullivan's release Cyclone (2011, number 7 on the Billboard Blues chart, July 30, 2011). Later in 2013, Hambridge would do the same on Quinn Sullivan's release Getting There, which charted at 38 on the Billboard Blues Chart.
In 2015, Hambridge earned his second Grammy Award for Best Blues Album for his contributions as a musician, producer, composer and mixer on Buddy Guy's Born to Play Guitar.
In 2016, Hambridge produced Mike Zito's album, Make Blues Not War, which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Chart on December 10, 2016 and earned his seventh Grammy Award Nomination for his production work on Bloodline.
Hambridge's songs and productions have appeared on a variety of television shows, movies and commercials. These include "It Hurt's So Bad" (Susan Tedeschi) on PBS's Austin City Limits, Autumn Hearts, VH1's Born To Diva, NBC's Conan O'Brien, and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. In addition, "Rock Me Right" (Susan Tedeschi) appeared in Autumn Hearts, David Letterman Show, NASCAR Rocks II (1999), and Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas. "I Fell in Love" (Susan Tedeschi) appeared on the Bug soundtrack. Plus, "Road Trip" and "I Got A New Car" (Tom Hambridge) appeared in the movie Cars. "Flying By" (Billy Ray Cyrus) appeared in the film, Flying By.
Hambridge has performed multiple times at the White House. On February 21, 2012, he joined Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Mick Jagger, B. B. King and others in a performance for the White House's "Red, White and Blues" Black History Month celebration concert. During the performance, President Barack Obama provided a brief history of the Blues and accompanied the group during the song "Sweet Home Chicago". On October 14, 2015, Hambridge returned to the White House with Buddy Guy, Marty Sammon, Trombone Shorty, Carol Burnett, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Keb Mo, Smokey Robinson and others for "A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House", commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

## Credits
### As leader

| Year | Album | Label |
| 1995 | Still Running | Bad Mood Records |
| 1998 | Balderdash | Artemis Records |
| 2004 | Bang N' Roll | UTR Music Group |
| 2007 | Tom Hambridge & the Rattlesnakes Live | Black Rose Records |
| 2009 | Boogieman | Black Rose Records |
| 2011 | Boom! | Superstar Factory |
| 2018 | The NOLA Sessions | Superstar Factory |

### As contributing artist

| Year | Recording Artist | Album | Songs | Contribution | Award |
| 1998 | Susan Tedeschi | Just Won't Burn | Friars Point, It Hurt So Bad, Rock Me Right | Guest Artist, producer, Drums, Tambourine, Timbales, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer | Grammy nominated Best Contemporary Blues Album |
| 2000 | Bernard Allison | Across The Water | I Want To Get You Back | Composer | |
| | Farm Aid | Farm Aid: Keep America Growing, Vol. 1 | | Composer |
| | Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | | | Producer/Composer |
| 2002 | Susan Tedeschi | Wait For Me | Til I Found You, I Fell in Love | Composer | |
| | NRBQ | Atsa My Band | You Were The One | Composer | |
| | Tim Krekel | Happy Town | Best Thing I Never Had | Vocals (Background), composer | |
| 2003 | Ana Popović | Comfort to the Soul | Fool Proof | Composer | |
| | George Thorogood & The Destroyers | Ride 'Til I Die | The Fixer | Guest Artist, producer, Vocals, composer | |
| | Lynyrd Skynyrd | Vicious Cycle | Jake, Mad Hatter, Pick'Em Up, Rockin' Little Town, Sweet Mama | Vocal Harmony, composer | |
| | Martin Scorsese: Best of the Blues | Best of The Blues | Best of the Blues | Performer (drums) | |
| | Peter Malick Group Featuring Norah Jones | New York City | New York City | Composer/Performer | |
| 2004 | Montgomery Gentry | You Do Your Thing | | Additional Personnel, Vocals (Background), musician |
| | Jeffrey Steele | Outlaw | Drive, Shot Glass | Percussion, Vocals (Background), musician, composer | |
| | Scott Holt | Chipped Front Tooth | | Composer | |
| | Johnny Winter | I'm A Bluesman | Cheatin' Blues, Lone Wolf | Mixing, Audio Production, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer | Grammy nominated; Best Contemporary Blues Album |
| 2005 | Delbert McClinton | Cost of Living | I Had A Real Good Time, Kiss Her Once For Me, One of the Fortunate Few, Right To Be Wrong | Vocals, Percussion, composer | |
| | Colin Linden | Southern Jumbo | I Give Up | Composer | |
| | Jimmy Thackery | Healin Ground | Get Up, Had Enough, Upside of Lonely | Main Personnel, Drums, composer | |
| | Keith Anderson | Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll | Every Time I Hear Your Name, Podunk "Every Time I Hear Your Name" debuted at number 49 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs for the week of January 7, 2006. | Vocals, Vocals (Background), composer | 2007 ASCAP Song of the Year. "Every Time I Hear Your Name" debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs for the week of January 7, 2006 |
| | Shemekia Copeland | Soul Truth | You Can't Have That | Vocals (Background), composer | |
| | Van Zant | Get Right with the Man | I Know My History, Sweet Mama, Things I Miss The Most | Composer | |
| 2006 | Beccy Cole | Feel This Free | You Can't Have That | Composer | |
| | Cody McCarver | Peace, Love and Coondawgs | Country Badass | Composer | |
| | George Thorogood | The Hard Stuff | Any Town USA, The Hard Stuff | Percussion, Vocals (Background), Associate Producer, composer | |
| | John Brannen | Twilight Tattoo-Advance | Heartbreak Ridge | Drums, Percussion, composer | |
| | Lee Roy Parnell | Back to the Well | You Can't Lose 'Em All | Drums (Snare), composer | |
| | Montgomery Gentry | Some People Change | Your Tears Are Comin | Composer | |
| | Rodney Atkins | If You're Going Through Hell | About The South | Composer | |
| | Pat Green | Cannonball | I'm Tryin' To Find It | Composer | |
| | T. Graham Brown | Present | The Present | Composer | |
| | Tom Hambridge / Disney | Cars Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks | Road Trip, I Got A New Car | Primary Artist | |
| 2007 | Billy Ray Cyrus | Home at Last | Flying By | Vocals (Background), composer | Flying By is a 2009 drama film directed by Jim Amatulli and starring Billy Ray Cyrus, Heather Locklear, Olesya Rulin and Patricia Neal. It was the final film for Neal. |
| | Joe Nichols | Real Things | My Whiskey Years | Composer | |
| | Van Zant | My Kind of Country | Friend, Goes Down Easy, My Kind of Country | Composer | |
| | Barbara Blue Blues Band | By Popular Demand | | Composer | |
| | Disney | Pixar Buddy Songs / Ratatouille: What's Cooking? | | Primary Artist | |
| 2008 | Andre Williams | Rhythm and Blues | She Don't Eat Meat | Producer, Liner Notes, Drums, Percussion | |
| | Felix Cavaliere | Nudge It Up A Notch | Impossible, Without You | Composer | |
| | Jeffrey Steele | Gold, Platinum, No Chrome, More Steele: Greatest Hits, Vol 2. | Everytime I Hear Your Name | Member of Attributed Artist, Drums, Percussion, composer | |
| | Jeffrey Steele | Countrypolitan | My Whiskey Years | Member of Attributed Artist, Drums, composer | |
| | Jeffrey Steele | Hell on Wheels | Helldorado, Sweet Salvation of Southern Rock and Roll, Tryin to Find It, Your | Composer | |
| | Steve Cropper | Nudge It Up A Notch | Impossible, Without You | Composer | |
| | Gary Nicholson (singer) | Whitey Johnson | | Drums | |
| | Montgomery Gentry | My Town/You Do Your Thing | | Vocals (Background), musician | |
| | Buddy Guy | Skin Deep | Best Damn Fool, Too Many Tears, Lyin' Like A Dog, Show Me The Money, Every Time I Sing The Blues, Out of The Woods, That's My Home, Skin Deep, Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes | Producer, Mixing, Main Personnel, Vocals, Drums, Tambourine, Handclapping, Percussion, Vocals (Background) | Grammy nominated: Best Traditional Blues Album |
| | George Thorogood and The Destroyers | The Hard Stuff | Love Doctor, I Didn't Know | Composer | |
| 2009 | Billy Ray Cyrus | Back To Tennessee | Give It To Somebody | Composer | |
| | Chris Young | Man I Want To Be | The Shoebox | Composer | |
| | Andy Pratt | Live at the Village Underground 2003 | | Drums | |
| | Roy Buchanan | Live Amazing Grace | | Drums | |
| | Jennie Devoe | Strange Sunshine | | Composer | |
| | Delbert McClinton | Acquired Taste | She's Not There Anymore, Until Then | Drums, composer | |
| | Delbert McClinton | Boogieman | You're My Kind of Trouble | Composer | |
| | Don Rich | You're Mistaken | It Hurt So Bad | Composer | |
| | Jack Ingram | Big Dreams & High Hopes | Not Giving Up On Me | Composer | |
| | Mark Lowry | Life Gets Loud | Take It Up With Jesus | Composer | |
| | Murali Coryell | Sugar Lips | Blame It On Me, Closer To You Baby, I Could've Had You, I Still Do, Minor Funk, Still Rockin, Sugar Lips, What Works On You, What You Gonna Do About Me, Where is the Spirit | Producer, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer | |
| | Taylor Hicks | Distance | Nineteen | Composer | |
| 2010 | Buddy Guy | Living Proof | All Tracks | Producer, Mixing, composer, Drums, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals (Background) | Grammy Award winner, Best Contemporary Blues Album |
| | Danny Gokey | My Best Days | Life on Ya | Composer | |
| | Eden Brent | Ain't Got No Troubles | Right To Be Wrong | Composer | |
| | Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere | Midnight Flyer | All Nigh Long, Chance WIth Me, Early Morning, Midnight Flyer, Move The House, Now, Sexy Lady, When You're With Me, you Give Me All I Need | Producer, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer | |
| | Gretchen Wilson | I Got Your Country Right Here | I Got Your Country Right Here, Walk on Water | Composer | |
| | Guitar Shorty | Bare Knuckle | Get Off | Composer | |
| | Meat Loaf | Hang Cool Teddy Bear | Boneyard | Composer | |
| | Joanna Smith | Getting Married | Gettin' Married | Composer | |
| 2011 | Billy Ray Cyrus | I'm American | Nineteen | Composer | |
| | George Thorogood | 2120 South Michigan Ave. | Going Back, Willie Dixon's Gone | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer | |
| | Bob Bogdal/McKnight & Bogdal/Elam McKnight | Zombie Nation | | Drums | |
| | Marcia Ball | Roadside Attractions | Their Party's Still Going On | Composer | |
| | Quinn Sullivan | Cyclone | All tracks | Composer/Performer/Producer | Album reached number 7 on the Billboard Blues Chart, July 30, 2011 |
| 2012 | Joe Louis Walker | Hellfire | Hellfire, Ride All Night, I Won't Do That, I'm on To You, What's It Worth | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Percussion | |
| | Rascal Flatts | Changed | She's Leaving | Composer | |
| | Buddy Guy | Live at Legends | Best Damn Fool, Skin Deep Polka Dot Love, Coming For You | Producer, Mixing, Vocals (Background), Mastering, composer, Drums, Percussion, Tambourine | |
| | The Outlaws | It's About Pride | Nothin' Main About Main Street | Composer | |
| | ZZ Top | La Futura | Over you, I Don't Wanna Lose You, Threshold of A Break down | Composer | |
| | Lynyrd Skynyrd | Last of a Dyin Breed | Good Teacher, Nothing Comes Easy, Honey Hole, Do It Up Right | Composer | |
| | Colin Linden | Still Live | I Give Up | Composer | |
| | Beverly Rohlehr | Christmas Gumbo | Santa's Hideway | Composer | |
| | Michael Burks | Show of Strength | I Want To Get You Back | Composer | |
| | Jim Quick | Down South | It's Always Something | Composer | |
| | The Crawdiddies | Soul of A Man | 'Til I Found You | Composer | |
| | Tre Michaels | Shotglass | | Composer | |
| | Wayne Baker Brooks | Tricks Up My Sleeves EP | | Composer, Drums, producer | |
| | Ernie and the Automatics | Good As Gone | Good Thing | Composer | |
| 2013 | Buddy Guy | Rhythm & Blues | Best in Town, Justifyin', I Go By Feel, What's Up With That Woman, One Day Away, What You Gonna Do About Me, The Devil's Daughter, Whiskey Ghost, Rhythm Inner Groove, Meet Me in Chicago, Too Damn Bad, Evil Twin, I Could Die Happy, Never Gonna Change, All That Makes Me Happy Is The Blues, My Mama Loved Me, Blues Don't Care, I Came Up Hard | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, composer, Drums, Tambourine, Vocals (Background) | Debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Magazine's Blues chart, Debuted at No. 27 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums |
| | Quinn Sullivan | Getting There | Checkin' Out, Catch A Groove, Getting There, World in Change, Mr. Gloom, I Know I Know, Rock Hard, She Gets Me, Cyclone, Like Your Love, Things I Won't Forget, End of the Day | Composer | Number 38 on the Billboard Blues Chart, August 24, 2013 |
| | Delbert & Glen | Blind Crippled & Crazy | Peace in the Valley | Composer, Drums | |
| | George Thorogood/George Thorogood & The Destroyers | Icon | | Producer | |
| | George Thorogood/George Thorogood & The Destroyers | Ride 'Til I Die/The Hard Stuff | | Additional Production, Associate Producer, composer, Percussion, Vocals, Vocals (Background) | |
| | James Cotton | Cotton Mouth Man | Cotton Mouth Man, Midnight Train, Mississippi Mud, Something For Me, Blues Is Good For You, Hard Sometimes, He Was There, Saint on Sunday, Wrapped Around My Heart, Young Bold Women, Wasn't My Time To Go, Bonnie Blue | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background) | 2014 Grammy nominee for Best Blues Album |
| | Eric Bourdon | 'Til Your River Runs Dry | Old Habits Die Hard | Composer | |
| | Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Horns | Look' Up! | Lonely No More, Lookin' Up, Good Man Gone | Composer | |
| | The McCrary Sisters | All The Way | Skin Deep | Composer | |
| | Sean Chambers | The Rock House Sessions | Just For the Thrill, Money in a Minute | Composer | |
| | Sena Ehrhardt | All In | I Want To Get You Back | Composer | |
| | Clay McClinton | Bitin' At The Bit | Sound of a Small Town | Composer | |
| | Andy T/Nick Nixon Band | Drink Drank Drunk | Drink Drank Drunk | Composer | |
| | RB Stone | Loosen Up | High Horse, Loosen Up, God Heals You When You Cry, She's Too Hot To Handle | Composer | |
| | Kree Harrison | American Idol Top 4 Season 12/19 Recordings | It Hurt So Bad | Composer | American Idol (season 12) Performance |
| 2014 | Devon Allman | Ragged & Dirty | Half Truth, Can't Lose 'Em All, Leavin, Times Have Changed | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, composer, Drums, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals (Background), Xylophone | |
| | Brad Hatfield | For A Change | That's My Home, Back Door Scratchin', Behave Yourself, Smarter Than I Was, Devil on Both Shoulders, So Much So Little, Good Love After Bad, Drink Drank Drunk, For A Change, Swamp Poker | Composer | |
| | Keb' Mo' | BLUES Americana | Move | Composer, Drums | |
| | Lee Ann Womack | The Way I'm Livin | | Drums (Bass) | |
| | Jeremiah Johnson | Grind | | Mastering | |
| | Too Slim and the Taildraggers | Anthology | Wishing Well, Big Ol' House | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), Mastering | |
| | JW-Jones | Belmont Boulevard | Love Times Ten, Blue Jean Jacket, Coming After Me, Don't Be Ashamed, What Would Jimmie Do?, If It Feels Good Tomorrow, Cocaine Boy | Producer, Composer, Drums, Vocals (Background) | JUNO Award Nominee (Canada) |
| | Clay McClinton | Bitin' At The Bit | Sound of a Small Town | Composer | |
| | Joe Louis Walker | Hornet's Nest | Hornet's Nest, All I Wanted To Do, As The Sun Goes Down, Stick a Fork in Me, Love Enough, Ramblin' Soul, I'm Gonna Walk Outside, Not in Kansas Anymore, Keep the Faith | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Tambourine, Percussion, Vocals (Background), Mastering, composer | |
| | Dana Robbins | Danna Robbins | Hardest Part, Bless Your Heart | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, composer, Drums, Finger Snaps, Tambourine | |
| 2015 | Buddy Guy | Born To Play Guitar | Born To Play Guitar, Wear You Out (featuring Billy Gibbons), Back Up Mama, Whiskey Beer & Wine, Kiss Me Quick, Crying Out of One Eye, Turn Me Wild, Crazy World, Smarter Than I Was, Thick Like Mississippi Mud, Flesh And Bone (featuring Van Morrison), Come Back Muddy | Producer, Mixing, composer, Drums, Percussion, Tambourine, Triangle, Vocals (Background), Wind Chimes | Grammy for Best Blues Album |
| | Royal Southern Brotherhood | Don't Look Back | Hard Blues | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, composer | |
| | Rodney Atkins | Greatest Hits | About The South | Composer | |
| 2016 | Mike Zito | Make Blues Not War | Highway Mama, Wasted Time, Red Bird, Crazy Legs, Make Blues Not War, On The Road, One More Train To Ride, Girl Back Home, Chip Off The Old Block, Road Dog | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Mastering, composer, Vocal Harmony | Debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Music Chart on December 10, 2016 |
| | Ana Popović | Trilogy | | Mastering, Mixing, producer | |
| | Devon Allman | Ride Or Die | Shattered Times | Producer, Mixing, Drums, Percussion, Mastering, composer | |
| | Ronnie Dunn | Tattooed Heart | That's Why They Make Jack Daniels | Composer | |
| | Kenny Neal | Bloodline | Real Friend, I Can't Wait, I'm So Happy, I Go By Feel, Bloodline | Producer, Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), composer, engineer, Mastering, Mixing | Grammy nomination |
| | Joe Bonamassa | Blues of Desperation | Mountain Climbing, Distant Lonesome Train | Composer | |
| | Rossington | Take It on Faith | I Should’ve Known, Shame On Me, Something Fishy | Composer | |
| | Foghat | Under The Influence | Under The Influence, Knock It Off, Upside of Lonely, Heart's Gone Cold, Hot Mama, Ghost | Producer, Mixing, Percussion, composer | |
| | Tasha Taylor | Honey for the Biscuit | Weatherman, How Long, Leave That Dog Alone | Composer | |
| 2017 | Quinn Sullivan | Midnight Highway | Something For Me, Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming, Midnight Highway, Crazy into You, Eyes For You, Lifting Off, She Gets Me, Rocks, Going, Graveyard Stone, Big Sky, Buffalo Nickel | Composer/Producer/Performer | |
| | Jim Allchin | Decisions | All tracks | Producer, Drums, Percussion, composer | |
| 2018 | Joe Bonamassa | Redemption | Evil Mama | Composer | |
| 2019 | Christone "Kingfish" Ingram | Kingfish | Outside of this Town, Fresh Out, It Ain't Right, Been Here Before, If You Love Me, Love Ain't My Favorite Word, Listen, Before I'm Old, Believe These Blues, Trouble, Hard Times, That's Fine By Me | Producer, composer, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals | 2020 Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues Album |