Tommy Rocks

Tommy Anderson (aka “Tommy “Rocks”) is more than just a musician - he’s an entertainer, educator, songwriter, music store owner, recording studio owner , graphic artist, web designer and ukulele evangelist. Based in Jerome Arizona, he brings a unique blend of musical genres, creative instrumentation, and community engagement to every project he touches.

Tommy “Rocks” Anderson is a talented multi-instrumentalist acoustic rock musician with 20 CDs to his credit.  He’s known for his dynamic performances, especially in Arizona, where he's known as one of the most versatile singers, with a repertoire spanning thousands of songs - from R&B and neo-soul to pop to classic rock, Alt-country, Americana, reggae, and over 235 Beatles tunes. Tommy performs solo and with multiple side projects (listed on his site ): OvO (“The Owls”), B3, The Beatless, Tommy Rocks The Beatles, The Tommy Rocks Trio,  The Jerome Ukulele Orchestra, Summer of Love and more. 

Background & early career : Tommy began performing as a guitarist/bassist/singer while he was in the Army, and went on to teach Honors English in Phoenix before focusing full-time on music career and community projects. Over the years, he’s built a steady regional career in the southwest. 

Key Highlights:  

Innovative & Playful Performer: Tommy performs 100+ shows annually and has performed thousands of unique shows crossing genres and performance types.  Known for his creative stagecraft, Tommy is known for pushing the limit on every one of his shows. He’s great at reading an audience, and he’s known for singing a cappella and bringing in the entire audience in singing with him.  He has never performed the same show twice, and brings in other creative elements, like blending ukulele with electronic tanpura drones while playing sitar-like renditions of Beatles tunes like “Within Without You / Tomorrow Never Knows”.  Tommy often incorporates guitar, ukulele, bass, mandolin, piano and great vocals into his shows. 

Ukulele Maestro: Tommy is recognized as one of Arizona’s top ukulele players. He created the Jerome Ukulele Orchestra, which skyrocketed in popularity. They were asked to audition for America’s Got Talent, and the following year  made the cover story in Ukulele Magazine.  He later co-founded the Sedona Ukulele Posse while teaching at the Sedona Arts Center.  In 2019, Tommy released his ukulele CD "Tommy Rocks! (The Ukulele)."

Kala Ukulele Ambassador:  In December 2021, Tommy became an official Kala Ukulele Ambassador, a notable distinction among some of the world’s best ukulele players.   https://kalabrand.com/pages/kala-ambassador-tommy-rocks-anderson  

Music Store & Studio Owner: Tommy owns Tommy Rocks Music Store in Jerome, AZ - boasting a unique, eclectic inventory of instruments (especially ukuleles), vintage vinyl, musical accessories, amps & PA systems, along with autographed Rock & Roll memorabilia from some the world’s biggest musicians (www.TommyRocks.com). He also operates Studio A, his recording studio in the Verde Valley, where he records  his own music and other client projects.

Singer/Songwriter & Recording Artist: With 20 CDs to his name and many singles, his discography includes solo albums, group projects like OvO (“The Owls”) and B3 (his Beatles-inspired ensemble), with CDs spanning  from the early 2000s  to recent singles like “Million Miles”.  His music is accessible across platforms like YouTube, Apple Music,  Amazon, and more  https://tommyrocks.net/cds 

TV and Online : Tommy has been featured across Arizona’s media, including Arizona Highways TV, Good Morning Arizona and other local TV shows, as well as KUDOS Magazine and other local newspapers. 

In A Nutshell : 

Tommy “Rocks” Anderson is a dynamic and versatile entertainer deeply woven into Arizona’s music scene. Whether through his spirited Jerome Ukulele Orchestra, engaging solo performances, performing as frontman for his various rock bands, or his one-of-a-kind music store, he continues to inspire musicians and music lovers alike.  Get a chance to meet Tommy at one of his many shows -  or stop into his music store the next time you’re in Jerome AZ.  

Musician website: www.TommyRocks.net   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tommyrocker  

Kala Ukulele Ambassador: https://kalabrand.com/pages/kala-ambassador-tommy-rocks-anderson  

Jerome Ukulele Orchestra: www.JeromeUkuleleOrchestra.com

Jerome music store website: www.TommyRocks.com  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TommyRocksJerome  

Instagram: Instagram.com/tommyrocksjerome  

Tommy Anderson's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TommyRocksJerome/videos 

DISCOGRAPHY:

2002 - "Chrysalis" : Stephanie Todd & Thom Anderson  CD
2003 - Thom Anderson "Whatever"  CD
2004 - Thom Anderson "Pocketful of Pesos"  CD
2004 - Thom Anderson "King of the World"  CD
2008 - Thom Anderson Ringo McLennonSon: "The Beatles & Beyond"  
2010 - Tommy Anderson "Lullabies and Sweet Dreams" EP 
2012 - OvO: "Live from The Spirit Room" CD
2012 - OvO: "Live from Ghost Town Studios"  CD
2012 - Tommy Anderson "EVOLVE"  CD
2012 - (single) Tommy Anderson "Baby Come Home For Christmas" 
2013 - The Beatless & Friends: "John Lennon Birthday Bash"  CD
2016 - OvO at Raven Studios  EP
2017 - B3: Rubber Revolver  CD
2019 - OvO 2.0 : "Live From Jerome  feat. Joe Berger CD
2019 - Bill Bassett & Tommy Anderson : "Live From The Grasshopper Grill" CD
2019 - Tommy Rocks! (The Ukulele)  CD
2020 - Tommy Anderson "2020" CD
2020 - Tommy Anderson "All Alone Together" (single)
2020 - Tommy Anderson "Nothing But Time" (single)
2020 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Harmony" 
2020 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "You Can't Fall Out Of Love" 
2020 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "We Belong Together" (Ritchie Valens cover)  feat. Bill Bassett 
2020 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Vincent (Starry Starry Night) (Don McLean cover)  feat. Bill Bassett 
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Over Time" 
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Georgia" (Ray Charles cover) 
2021 - Tommy Anderson "Harmony"  - my  17th CD 
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (single)  "Birthday Spankings" 
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (CD) "Tommy's Top 20"
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (CD) "Baby Come Home For Christmas"
2021 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Million Miles"
2022 - Tommy Anderson: (single) "Hoppy"

Also :  All of my unreleased tracks  are available on my Flash Drive : listed as "CD  #20 Unreleased Singles"

PRESS:  A few comments from a recent show (Dec. 2024)  : "The artist reflects the society they live in." Tommy sings songs of defiance, hope, sadness, reflection, peace, joy and love.  A fitting show for the end of 2024 and for  these interesting times we are living in.”    “I thought you sounded fantastic!  It's so nice to hear music that is really thoughtful and has the power to transport you.”

Tommy has been featured in UKULELE Magazine, The Arizona Republic, The New Times, Kudos, The Monsoon & The Noise magazines,  the Verde Independent & the Cottonwood Daily Extra newspapers, the Channel 12 Midday Show, the Channel 3 ‘Good Morning Arizona’ Show, Arizona Highways TV show, the ‘Verde Valley Experience‘ and AZTV 7’s ‘Morning Scramble’ TV shows, and has previously performed for the Tempe Center for the Arts, the Mesa Arts Center, the Old Town Center for the Arts, the Sedona Arts Center, municipal functions for the cities of Tempe, Phoenix, Casa Grande,   Goodyear and Jerome, for the Valley Metro Light Rail Kickoff Concert with Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, the Fiesta Bowl New Year's Eve Block Party, the John Lennon Songwriting Tour Bus, the Great Arizona Beer Festivals, the P.F. Chang's Rock and Roll Marathons, for Tempe's Earth Day Celebration and Concert at the Marina music series, for the July 4th Celebrations for Phoenix, Mesa and Casa Grande, the Tempe Festival of the Arts; The Tempe Marketplace, Page Springs and Alcantara Wineries, The Spirit Room, Mile High, The Bordello & Quince in Jerome, Coyote Joe's, Brick and Bones, The Distillery and El Gato Azul in Prescott, 89A and Vino Di Sedona, The Sail Inn and Cactus Jack’s;  D'Arcy McGee's, The Grasshopper Grill, The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff and (Alice) CoopersTown in Phoenix.