“Down To The Wire” was released on Epic Records in 1986. The album was in the making for at least a year before it was created. 

Tom was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but grew up in Lake Worth, Florida. He played with many bands in bars and clubs all over southern Florida before he moved to Nashville in 1977. Within a couple of months he was signed as a writer to Charley Pride’s publishing company, Pi-Gem Music. 

He hooked up with the writers that he would eventually co-write “Down To The Wire” - Taylor Rhodes, Gary Harrison, Ronnie Brooks & Howie Tipton. He wrote the Jennifer Rush hit “Heart Over Mind” with Taylor.

Ronnie, Howie and Tom co-wrote “Women In Chains” for Joe Perry of Aerosmith and “Son Of The South” for Southern Rock rebel David Allan Coe, later re-titled as “Son of Detroit” in 2003 for Kid Rock’s album. 

In 1984, Southern rockers Molly Hatchet were going to record their album “The Deed Is Done”. Hatchet asked Tom to co-write half of their album. Later, when they invited him to join them on tour, Epic (CBS) Records took notice and signed Tom as an artist.

Tom wrote most of his album with Taylor. By the time Epic sent Tom to England to record the album with James Guthrie (best known for his work with Pink Floyd.

There was quite a lot of hype building up to the release of the album – press, photo sessions, meetings with the label. Finally the day was here – unfortunately for me, the same week of the release, an executive name Lawrence Tisch took over Epic Records. He immediately fired the entire A&R staff, along with the promotion team. In an instant, there was no one left at the label who had ever heard of Tom.

The album essentially was buried in the turmoil and although it did make it into stores, it was never really released. The frustration of the experience and what seemed like a year of wasted time soured him from pursuing another record deal and he returned to his first passion, songwriting. 

It’s ironic that over 20 years later, a German Record label from the same country that gave Tom his first songwriting hit, somehow discovered this album and gives it an official release.

Let’s hope that is received like a time capsule from the era when Rock and Roll was king.

Tracklist: 1. 57 Chevy 2. Runaway Hearts 3. Chasing Shadows 4. Dirty Fingers 5. Fire In The Night 6. Down To The Wire 7. Going The Distance 8. Stone In Your Heart 9. Betrayed 10. Reunion Bonus Tracks: 11. Don’t Need Your Kind Of Love* 12. Can’t Stop Love Can’t Stop Money *13. Love Train*

* = Bonus Tracks

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