{{Short description|American musician}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> |name = Tom Guerra |image = |caption = |image_size = |alt = |background = non_vocal_instrumentalist |birth_name = |alias = |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1963}} |birth_place = |death_date = |instrument = Guitar |genre = Roots rock, blues, garage rock |occupation = Musician, songwriter, author, session musician, preservationist |years_active = late 1970s–present |label = |website = {{Url|tomguerra.com}} }}
'''Tom Guerra''' (born 1963)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmone.org/tom-guerra/|title=Tom Guerra|first=Steve|last=Haag|website=Mmone.org|date=June 25, 2020|access-date=April 21, 2024}}</ref> is an American guitarist, songwriter, and vintage guitar preservationist. He has been a member of Mambo Sons and Dirty Bones Band, has appeared as a guest on recordings by other notable artists, and has released albums under his own name.
==Career== Guerra began his music career in the late 1970s, playing in the New England club circuit with blues and rock acts. His primary influences include Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Joe Walsh.<ref name="FGPO">{{cite web |last1=Liebman |first1=Joe |title=Tom Guerra Tramples On |url=http://forguitarplayersonly.com/interviews-features/tom-guerra-tramples-on/ |website=For Guitar Players Only |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=4 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="VGM">{{cite web |last1=Prown |first1=Pete |title=Tom Guerra: Rock and Roll Swagger |url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/20311/tom-guerra/ |publisher=Vintage Guitar Magazine |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=September 2014}}</ref> In the 1980s, Guerra recorded with Rick Derringer, Max Weinberg, Guitar Shorty, Kenny Aaronson, and many others.<ref name="WRTC">{{cite web |title=Tom Guerra talks new CD in guitarist spotlight show |url=http://www.wrtcfm.com/?p=4317 |publisher=WRTC |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=24 July 2016}}</ref> From 1983 to 1992 Guerra was a member of the garage rock group Dirty Bones Band and recorded four albums with them.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tom Guerra |url=http://www.telemodders.com/t_guerra.html |website=TeleModders |accessdate=31 August 2018}}</ref> He was profiled in ''Guitar Player'' magazine in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=TOM GUERRA- Guitar Player "Spotlight Demo" |url=http://www.tomguerra.com/Tom%20-%20Guitar%20Player%20magazine.htm |website=tomguerra.com |accessdate=31 August 2018}}</ref> He started writing for ''Vintage Guitar Magazine'' in 1998 and continues to do so to the present day. His column focuses on authentic recording techniques and collecting vintage guitars.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Binky |title=I’m in Vintage Guitar Magazine! |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/binky-philips/vintage-guitar-magazine-g_b_5049512.html |publisher=Huffington Post |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=28 March 2014}}</ref> Guerra has also received many endorsements from guitar companies including Brian Moore Custom guitars, plus effects and amplifier companies like DST-Engineering.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mambo Sons' Guitarist Tom Guerra New Release American Garden!! |url=http://www.detroitrocknrollmagazine.com/search/label/TOM%20GUERRA |publisher=Detroit Rock n Roll Magazine |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=30 May 2018}}</ref> In 1999 Guerra formed the band Mambo Sons with longtime collaborator Scott Lawson. That band released four albums,<ref name="Songwriter">{{cite web |last1=Gerstenzang |first1=Peter |title=Tom Guerra: Committed To Rock |url=https://americansongwriter.com/2016/10/tom-guerra-committed-rock/ |publisher=American Songwriter |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=21 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="HuffPost">{{cite web |last1=Semioli |first1=Tom |title=Tom Guerra Loves Making Rock and Roll Records |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-semioli/tom-guerra-loves-making-r_b_12316380.html |publisher=Huffington Post |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=4 October 2016}}</ref> receiving several "album of the year" accolades from publications like ''NYRock'' magazine and ''Modern Guitars'' magazine,<ref name = "NoDep">{{cite web |last1=Semioli |first1=Tom |title=From a Yardbird to a Mambo Son! Sowing Seeds in Tom Guerra's American Garden |url=http://nodepression.com/interview/yardbird-mambo-son-sowing-seeds-tom-guerra%E2%80%99s-american-garden |website=No Depression: The Journal of Roots Music |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=7 August 2018}}</ref> while Lawson was invited to serve as artist-in-residence at the Wallace Stegner house.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carra |first1=Gary |title=Nightcrawler: Scott-katchewan |url=https://valleyadvocate.com/2009/03/12/nightcrawler-scott-katchewan/ |website=ValleyAdvocate.com |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=12 March 2009}}</ref>
In 2009 and 2013, at the request of Johnny Winter, Guerra wrote the liner notes for Winters' series of live albums entitled ''The Bootleg Series.''<ref name = HuffPost /> When Mambo Sons went on hiatus in 2012, Guerra shifted to songwriting, studio session work, and production, as well as working on solo recordings.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wachtel |first1=A.J. |title=Tom Guerra |url=http://thenoise-boston.com/2015/03/tom-guerra/ |website=T Max's Music Site |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=1 March 2015}}</ref> He also turned to topical songwriting: his 2012 song "Love Comes to Us All" addressed the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and was praised by several Connecticut politicians.<ref name = "WRTC" /> In 2013, he recorded "Put Up Their Names - The Ballad of the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans" to honor the 74 sailors lost aboard the {{USS|Frank E. Evans|DD-754|6}} naval disaster off the coast of Vietnam in June 1969. According to Guerra, the purpose of the song is to bring attention to the U.S. Government's refusal to list the names of those 74 servicemen on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kazek |first1=Kelly |title=3 Sage brothers went down with the ship, other facts about the tragedy of USS Evans |url=https://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/06/3_sage_brothers_went_down_with.html |website=AL.com |accessdate=31 August 2018 |date=12 June 2013}}</ref> His first solo album ''All of the Above'' was released in 2014,<ref name = "HuffPost" /> followed by ''Trampling Out the Vintage'' in 2016,<ref name = "WRTC" /> and ''American Garden'' in 2018. The latter album included several songs that Guerra had been invited to write for a Yardbirds reunion album that was ultimately shelved.<ref name = "NoDep" />
In 2020, in the midst of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, Guerra released his fourth solo album entitled ''Sudden Signs of Grace.'' Guerra said he felt compelled to release it now because "people need music, especially during times like these."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dehnel |first1=Chris |title=Songwriter Traveling Forward With New Recording |url=https://patch.com/connecticut/glastonbury/glastonbury-songwriter-traveling-forward-new-recording |website=Patch.com |accessdate=7 May 2020 |date=7 May 2020}}</ref> In a review of ''Sudden Signs of Grace'', The Big Takeover commended Guerra by stating it's "his best album to date...gorgeous."<ref>{{cite web |title=Pop Goes Tom Guerra - "Sudden Signs of Grace" Revealed |url=https://bigtakeover.com/interviews/PopGoesTomGuerraSuddenSignsofGraceRevealed/ |publisher=The Big Takeover |accessdate=29 July 2020 |date=2 July 2020}}</ref> The video for the title track features guest appearances from a number of rock notables, including Hilton Valentine, Dan Baird, Christine Ohlman, G.E. Smith, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jeff Pevar, Kenny Aaronson and Morgan Fisher.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tom Guerra - Sudden Signs of Grace|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmK70hxp22c/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/hmK70hxp22c |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|publisher=YouTube |accessdate=29 July 2020 |date=25 June 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In March 2022, ''Sentimental Junk'', Guerra's fifth solo album was released on the Thin Man Music label, featuring the single "California's Got to My Girl", a duet with Jon Butcher, and also featuring Mike Kosacek on drums, Morgan Fisher and Matt Zeiner on keys, and Kenny Aaronson on bass. A Newsweek podcast called the release "Capturing Lightning in a Bottle".<ref>{{cite web |title= "Capturing Lightning in a Bottle: Recording rock n roll at home w/Tom Guerra" |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capturing-lightning-in-a-bottle-recording-rock-n/id1608977560?i=1000557156445 |publisher= Newsweek|accessdate=5 May 2022 |date=5 May 2022}}</ref>
In late 2023, Guerra released "Mutilated World", as a single, also featuring Kenny Aaronson and drummer Mike Kosacek. In January 2024, the single "Sister Topanga" was released with this same lineup followed by "New American Way" in March 2024. In June 2024, Guerra released a new single with his core lineup of Aaronson and Kosacek, called “Television Dreams” with Jon Butcher on lead guitar. August 2024 saw Guerra guest on the new single by The Forefront Ramblers and in September, Guerra's new single "Good Times Big Fun" featuring the core lineup of Aaronson (bass) Kosacek (drums) and Guerra (vocals and guitars) was released and added to the online streaming services.
Guerra continued with his singles releases in 2025, with "Chi Chi Chu" featuring legendary SNL vocalist Christine Ohlman as well as the rhythm section of Aaronson and Kosacek. Summer of 2025 had him guesting on new albums by Laurent Moitrot and former Mott the Hoople guitarist Ariel Bender.
Based on the Minneapolis riots, Guerra released a cover of Minnesotan Paul Westerberg's "Meet Me Down the Alley" in February 2026.
Guerra has been praised for his commitment to songwriting: in a review of his 2016 album, ''American Songwriter'' said, "Guerra has honed his songwriting homework... All in all, the record is that rarity in the rock world: eclectic but never unfocused".<ref name="Songwriter" />
==Solo and band discography== *''Exhumed'' - Dirty Bones Band (1983) *''Last Remains'' - Dirty Bones Band (1986) *''new wOrld disOrder'' - Dirty Bones Band (1991) *''Stronger Than Dirt'' - Dirty Bones Band (1993) *''Mambo Sons'' - Mambo Sons (1999) *''Play Some Rock & Roll'' - Mambo Sons (2003) *''Mr. Positive'' - Jeff Keithline (2004) *''Racket of Three'' - Mambo Sons (2005) *''Heavy Days'' - Mambo Sons (2009) *''All of the Above'' - Tom Guerra (2014) *''Trampling Out the Vintage'' - Tom Guerra (2016) *''American Garden'' - Tom Guerra (2018) *''360 Degrees'' - Jon Butcher (2019) *''Sudden Signs of Grace'' - Tom Guerra (2020) *''Sentimental Junk'' - Tom Guerra (2022) *"Mutilated World" (single) - Tom Guerra (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/mutilated-world-single/1716121780|title=Mutilated World - Single by Tom Guerra on Apple Music|date=November 7, 2023|via=Apple Music}}</ref> *"Sister Topanga" (single) - Tom Guerra (2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7EEWhBnaKfUcv6Q9T2jNDw|title=Sister Topanga|date=January 9, 2024|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"New American Way" (single) - Tom Guerra (2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/0nZXZ2IFADYtTVoRBez2Xl|title=New American Way|date=March 12, 2024|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Television Dreams" (single) - Tom Guerra (2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/24OaWOgTlmCj04rTPKA5rQ|title=Television Dreams|date=June 12, 2024|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Not So Fast Saint Marie" (single) - The Forefront Ramblers (2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/5VvqwAA6fhxMlRM6PrOQkx|title=Not So Fast Saint Marie|date=August 17, 2024|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Good Times Big Fun" (single) - Tom Guerra (2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/4QwWRlSLZN1dg4p7Z7N9Dz|title=Good Times Big Fun|date=September 17, 2024|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Chi Chi Chu" (single) - Tom Guerra and Christine Ohlman (2025)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/1zdS5MKiiJlT15Xyv3jpNu|title=Chi Chi Chu|date=January 7, 2025|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Donne-moi du temps" (album) - Laurent Moitrot (2025)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://laurentmoitrot.bandcamp.com/album/donne-moi-du-temps?fbclid=IwY2xjawLsruhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsX0lxXtANtASY7f3HqDAyH-WkcUPEBB41Aeg1r33EsR7oO7ntj8Uw0P6JV0_aem_lpJJZ19fqYxgED_P2j3_aQ|title=Donne-moi du temps|date=July 20, 2025|website=Open.bandcamp.com/}}</ref> *"Bottleneck Blues" (single) - Luther Grosvenor (2025)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/15LagfOyGwacncSBFf7UGo?si=94507b78d26c44fa|title=Bottleneck BLues|date=October 8, 2025|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref> *"Meet Me Down the Alley" (single) - Tom Guerra and Morgan Fisher (2026)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/2APVFzLesMZn7P1AF5Hjrb?si=7ecbb4ee7e8c4411|title=Meet Me Down the Alley|date=February 11, 2026|website=Open.spotify.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.TomGuerra.com "Sentimental Junk" - Tom Guerra solo album] * [https://tomguerra.com/sudden-signs-of-grace/ "Sudden Signs of Grace" - Tom Guerra solo album] * [https://tomguerra.com/american-garden/ "American Garden" - Tom Guerra solo album] * [https://tomguerra.com/trampling-out-the-vintage/ "Trampling Out the Vintage" - Tom Guerra solo album] * [https://tomguerra.com/all-of-the-above/ "All of the Above" - Tom Guerra solo album] * [https://tomguerra.com/mambo-sons-discography/ Mambo Sons] * [https://tomguerra.com/guitarist-interviews/ Tom Guerra's Interviews with Great Guitarists] * [http://www.myspace.com/tommyguerra Tom Guerra on Myspace] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071022233109/http://modernguitars.com/archives/001869.html Modern Guitars Interview with Tom Guerra] * [https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvimdbatsvivgzi/TQRJul-Aug20.pdf?dl=0 ToneQuest Interview with Tom Guerra (pdf)]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Guerra, Tom}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:American blues guitarists Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians