Tommy Keenum

 Known for his intimate and soulful vocal delivery Tommy Keenum is also an accomplished visual artist and designer of everything from exquisite houses to burlesque costumes. He has been bringing his distinctive style and eclectic vision to songwriting for the past 20 years. Tommy is a sought after side-man, lending vocals, sax, and percussion to a wide variety of rock and pop acts including David Mead, Bobby Bare Jr., Sara Beck, and the greatest '80's cover band of all time "Guilty Pleasures". His publishing company "Other Boy Music" was established with BMI in 2009 and is home to over 100 songs.
 He has arranged and performed numerous soundtracks for stage and film with his producer and friend Park Chisholm.  Park is an amazing multi-instrumentalist who is currently touring with Kevin Costner's band "Modern West”. He also recorded and produced the Grammy nominated soundtrack for Costner's "Hatfields and McCoys". His wife Sara Beck wrote and performed the grammy nominated single. (Google her she is amazing!)

This is Tommy talking now, Hi. If you are bored and want to know way too much please continue. Otherwise thanks for making it this far.

For my first solo effort in 2005, I selected gems from my favorite songwriters of the ’70’s, and was lucky enough to get dreamy production from “Silver Seas” front man and genius behind Kacey Musgrave’s Grammy winning Golden Hour Daniel Tashian to produce. The result, Sentimental Jamboree is the perfect Sunday chill record. (Daniel was also kind enough to encourage me to write and share his wealth of knowledge and taste.) 
 In 2007, I released my first self-penned record, Details Within…. I dipped into almost every genre and found a way to combine influences as disparate as Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye. Here’s what The Nashville Scene said about it at the time, “Although eclectic, what ties it all together is the underlying theme of self-empowerment and Keenum’s “heart on sleeve” vocals. The backing band is a team of all stars that turn in some amazing performances.
 With my 2009 release All These Pretty Thoughts, I stripped everything down and enlisted retro-pop master Brad Jones to produce.  The songs go from sparse to fully orchestrated; sometimes in the space of one phrase (All Brad). He is a genius of epic proportions and blew my mind every day. He made me sit and play all the songs on a Rhodes for the skeleton of what we made. I had never recorded this way and did not feel ready but I did it and with his support I expanded what I thought I could do. He is the kind of person that can do anything including making you feel like you can too. 
  Sometimes Never Always (2011) is a tribute to my family. When my father's health began to fail I wanted to help him realize his dream of "being in the music business". Several of the songs are inspired by the poems Dad had written over the years. My goal was a retro-country/soul love-fest. I did my best. John Deaderick, my great friend and band mate (Keyboardist for Michael McDonald, Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin, etc.)  produced, recorded and played all the keys. He made this record sound so beautiful I still cry when I listen to it. Also because Nashville is full of unbelievably talented folks that are also wonderful human beings the band is Billy Panda (Guitar), Bryan Owings (Drums), Michael Rhodes (Bass) and Dan Dugmore (Steel and blues slide) solo appearance by Will Kimbrough. I know… it was like a dream. 
 Bedroom Philosophy (2012) sounds like 80’s R&B bedroom music but the twist is the lyrics are taken from Eastern (and some western) Philosophies. Words for the higher mind, music for the flesh. (It’s a good time) 
 In 2015 and 2021 I made Mambo Mambo Mambo and I am Your man respectively. Both fun side projects that feature all-star musicians bringing vintage latin and soul respectively. Both were recorded and produced by Cowboy Keith Thompson for Inglehood Records. (Please google him!) We all want a life as interesting as his. 
 Oh Man (2023) is a meditation on modern masculinity. Park and I worked for over two years to hone a new sound that feels like the first truly authentic and vulnerable music I have ever made.

I’m gonna do more! I’m working on it.