{{Short description|American musician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Tom Hamilton | birth_name = <!-- leave empty if the same "name" --> | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year unless the exact date is already WIDELY published, as per WP:DOB --> | birth_place = | death_date = | alias = | instrument = Guitar, vocals, drums, piano, bass | genre = Indie, electronic, alt-country, jam band | occupation = Musician, songwriter, producer, vocalist, guitarist | associated_acts = American Babies, Brothers Past, Disco Biscuits, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, Electron, [Shpongle], Billy & the Kids, Ghost Light | label = Royal Potato Family | years_active = 2000–present | website = [http://www.americanbabies.net/ Official American Babies Website] }}
'''Tom Hamilton Jr.''' is an American songwriter, musician, producer, and the lead vocalist and guitarist for the bands Brothers Past,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dYEVAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014,6950519&dq=brothers-past+tom-hamilton&hl=en|title=Brothers Past find a groove|last=Markstrom|first=Serena|date=March 31, 2006|work=Eugene Register-Guard|access-date=April 6, 2010}}</ref> American Babies,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.relix.com/articles/detail/flying_solo_with_american_babies|title=Flying Solo with American Babies|work=Relix|date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> Ghost Light, Joe Russo's Almost Dead,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyctaper.com/2013/01/joe-russos-almost-dead-january-26-2013-brooklyn-bowl-flacmp3streaming|title=Joe Russo's Almost Dead: January 26, 2013 Brooklyn Bowl – Flac/MP3/Streaming|work=nyctaper.com}}</ref> Bill Kreutzmann's Billy & the Kids, and Electron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/tom-hamilton-shines-electrons-tour|title=Tom Hamilton Shines on Electron's Tour|work=gratefulweb.com}}</ref>
==Brothers Past==
Hamilton formed Brothers Past in 1996, straight out of high school, with classmates Joe D'Amico (bass), Nick Desiderio (drums), and his older brother Jim Hamilton (guitar). In 1998, Hamilton met Tom McKee and asked him to join the band as a keyboardist and vocalist. This initial line-up toured the Mid-Atlantic area heavily until 1999, when D'Amico, Desiderio, and the elder Hamilton brother left the band to pursue more normal lifestyles. In the end, Hamilton and McKee settled on hiring Clay Parnell and Rick Lowenberg as the new rhythm section in 2000 and began touring again in 2001.
Hamilton has been the primary songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist for Brothers Past, as well as co-producer for all of their recorded releases.
==American Babies==
In 2006 Hamilton started playing sporadic acoustic concerts around the Philadelphia area billed as "Tom Hamilton's American Babies", mainly as a way to stay occupied between Brothers Past tours. As the internal relationships in Brothers Past disintegrated and his musical tastes changed Hamilton focused more on acoustic oriented music and decided to make a new band geared towards his new muse. American Babies was formed in 2007 and soon after they released a self-titled album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/american-babies-mn0000670870/biography|title=American Babies|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|work=AllMusic}}</ref> This was followed by their sophomore release ''Flawed Logic'' in 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/149976-american-babies-flawed-logic|title=American Babies|work=PopMatters|date=October 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thekey.xpn.org/2011/04/27/the-key-studio-sessions-american-babies/|title=The Key|date=April 27, 2011}}</ref> and third album ''Knives and Teeth'' on October 15, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/knives-and-teeth-mw0002571112|title=Knives and Teeth|author=James Christopher Monger|work=AllMusic}}</ref> In 2016, American Babies released their fourth album, ''An Epic Battle Between Light & Dark.'' Tom described the record as a discussion of both what it is like to experience depression and what it takes to maintain hope while in the midst of it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.relix.com/reviews/detail/american_babies_an_epic_battle_between_light_dark|title=American Babies: An Epic Battle Between Light & Dark|work=Relix|access-date=2017-08-29}}</ref>
==Electron== Since 2000, Tom Hamilton has been playing with Electron along with current members, Marc Brownstein, Mike Greenfield, and Aron Magner.{{fact|date=October 2025}}
==Joe Russo's Almost Dead==
In 2013, Tom Hamilton also began playing with Joe Russo, Dave Dreiwitz, Marco Benevento and Scott Metzger in a Grateful Dead tribute band called Joe Russo's Almost Dead.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/JRADisRAD/info?tab=page_info {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>
==Ghost Light==
In 2018, Tom Hamilton along with Holly Bowling, Raina Mullen, Steve Lyons, & Scotty Zwang formed the band Ghost Light.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jambase.com/article/ghost-light-tom-hamilton-holly-bowling-2018-tour|title=Ghost Light Announces 1st Half Of Inaugural Tour|date=2018-01-11|work=JamBase|access-date=2018-01-11|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Grateful Dead Alumni and Related Performances== Hamilton first played with Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh on March 14–15, 2014,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jambands.com/news/2014/03/15/unannounced-guests-join-in-as-jackie-greene-anders-osborne-sit-out-phil-friends-show/ |title=Unannounced Guests Join In as Jackie Greene, Anders Osborne Sit Out Phil & Friends Show |author=<!--no by-line--> |website=Jambands.com |date=March 15, 2014 |access-date=December 30, 2015}}</ref> at Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California, as a member of Phil and Friends. This was followed by another concert at Terrapin Crossroads on October 6, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jambase.com/Articles/122951/Phil-Lesh-and-East-Coast-All-Stars-Debut-At-Terrapin-Crossroads |title=Phil Lesh & East Coast All-Stars Debut At Terrapin Crossroads |date=October 7, 2014 |website=JamBase}}</ref> which was billed as "East Coast All-Stars", and a three night run on December 29–31 to close out 2014 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phillesh.net/wp/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108133607/http://www.phillesh.net/wp/|archive-date=January 8, 2016|df=mdy-all|title=PhilLesh.net — the Official Site for Phil Lesh }}</ref> billed as "PhilRAD".
In October 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jambase.com/Articles/122967/Bill-Kreutzmann-Announces-Formation-Of-Billy-and-The-Kids|title=Bill Kreutzmann Announces Formation Of Billy & The Kids|work=jambase.com}}</ref> Hamilton was announced as part of Grateful Dead's Bill Kreutzmann's new band Billy & the Kids. Also in the band are Reed Mathis and Aron Magner.
On August 15, 2015 Bob Weir joined Hamilton and his Billy & the Kids bandmates at The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jambase.com/Articles/126153/Bob-Weir-Makes-Billy-and-The-Kids-Debut-At-Peach-Music-Festival|title=Music News }}</ref>
On September 12, 2015, Hamilton played with the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart at the third annual Lockn' Festival in Arrington, Virginia<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/09/lockn_fest_day.html|title=Lockn' Fest day 2: Robert Plant, lots of Grateful Dead, & more }}</ref> during Billy & the Kids' headlining set.
On June 29, 2022 Hamilton played with Melvin Seals, Dave Schools, Duane Trucks, Jacklyn LaBranch, Lady Chi, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at the Jerry Garcia’s 80th Birthday Symphonic Celebration held at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Morrison, Colorado.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/jerry-garcias-80th-birthday-symphonic-celebration-red-rocks-amphitheatre-62922 |title=Jerry Garcia's 80th Birthday Symphonic Celebration - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - 6/29/22 |date=June 30, 2022 |website=Grateful Web |publisher=Grateful Web, Inc. |access-date=July 29, 2022}}</ref>
==Producer==
In 2002 Hamilton produced a self-released recording for then unknown Philadelphia artist Kurt Vile in the basement of his West Chester, PA home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jambands.com/news/2015/01/21/american-babies-to-pay-tribute-to-dr-dog-arcade-fire-ryan-adams-war-on-drugs-and-more-in-new-york|title=American Babies to Pay Tribute to Dr. Dog, Arcade Fire, Ryan Adams, War on Drugs and More in New York|work=jambands.com|date=January 21, 2015}}</ref>
In 2008 Hamilton was hired by the Disco Biscuits to produce and record what would turn out to be their 2010 release ''Planet Anthem''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/planet-anthem-the-disco-biscuits/18944816|title=Disco Biscuits Planet Anthem|work=Barnes and Noble}}</ref>
In 2009 Hamilton recorded and produced Philadelphia-based folk group, Mason Porter's 2010 album ''Thunder in the Valley''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Mason Porter |author1-link=Mason Porter |title=Thunder In The Valley |url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/MasonPorter1 |website=www.cdbaby.com |access-date=22 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209064643/http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/MasonPorter1 |archive-date=February 9, 2015 |language=en |date=2009}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Tom Jr.}} Category:Guitarists from Philadelphia Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American rock guitarists Category:Billy & the Kids members Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:Joe Russo's Almost Dead members Category:American Babies members