Tommy Z

Tommy Z is a contemporary blues artist and also radio host from Buffalo, NY who has been described as a "blues treasure" by legendary 97 Rock/WBFO DJ Jim Santella, and "one of WNY's best kept secrets" by Sarah French, Blues Matters Magazine. He is a guitar-driven electric blues-based stylist onstage, but in the studio Tommy composes a variety of music. So while experienced and studied in traditional blues, jazz and rock styles, Tommy is an artist who puts that soulful blues feeling into all the different styles he plays. He's been been recognized with numerous awards over the years, including being voted Top Blues Vocalist in Western New York 2003/2004/2006, Top Blues Guitarist 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006 and his band has won the Top Blues/Crossover Blues Band categories 1994, 2005, 2006, and was honored with the Muddy Waters Award for "Artist of the Year" by the Blues Society of WNY in 2004. In 2007 Tommy was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, recognizing him alongside some of the best talent to ever come out of WNY (and also making him ineligible for any more music awards!). He has had the opportunity to perform with/or co-bill with some of the worlds' top artists in the blues/rock genre including: B.B. King (and daughter Shirley), Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jeff Healey, Colin James, Tinsley Ellis, Roomful of Blues, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Peter Frampton, Carey Bell, John Mayall, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many more including a tour backing up Grammy-winning blues legend Pinetop Perkins (Muddy Waters Band).  Tommy has come a long way from playing the top bars and music venues in Buffalo to being an international and domestic festival headliner.