Tom Waits Tickets

Tom Waits - Resources

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About Tom Waits

Thomas Alan Waits was born on December 7, 1949, in Pomona, CA. When he was 10 years old, his parents divorced and he moved to National City, near the Mexican border, with his mother. Through frequent trips to Mexico with his father, Tom Waits learned Spanish and became a lover of music. He then taught himself how to play piano at his neighbor's house and went on to play in an R&B soul band called The System while he attended high school at Hilltop High School in Chula Vista, CA.

About five years later, Waits found himself working as a doorman at the Heritage Nightclub in Pacific Beach. It was during this time that he played his first gig, getting paid only $25. Although Tom Waits was influenced by and was a fan of Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Lord Buckley, Hoagy Carmichael, Marty Robbins, Raymond Chandler, and Stephen Foster, he began creating his own unique musical style. Later on, after briefly working for the U.S. Coast Guard, Waits had the opportunity to play the Troubadour in Los Angeles. In 1971, Waits moved to the Echo Park area of Los Angeles and signed with Herb Cohen; it was then that Tom Waits began writing and recording demos for Cohen's label, Bizarre/Straight, and really began his musical career.

Tom Waits released his first album, Closing Time, in 1973 on Asylum Records. While signed to Asylum Records, Waits also released the following albums: The Heart of Saturday Night (1974), Nighthawks at the Diner (1975), Small Change (1976), Foreign Affairs (1977), Blue Valentine (1978), Heart Attack and Vine (1980), and One from the Heart (1982).

In 1980, Tom Waits married Kathleen Brennan. Waits credits his wife as the co-author of many songs in his later albums as well as a major influence on his music. In 1981, Waits left Asylum Records and signed with Island Records. In 1983, he released Swordfishtrombones. Tom Waits also released the following albums on Island Records: Rain Dogs (1985), Franks Wild Years (1987), Big Time (1988), Night on Earth (1992), Bone Machine (1992), and The Black Rider (1993).

In 1998, Tom Waits left Island Records for musician-owned Epitaph Records. Waits' first release on Epitaph Records was Mule Variations in 1999. Since signing with Epitaph Records in 1998, Tom Waits has also released the following albums: Blood Money (2002), Alice (2002), Real Gone (2004), and Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006).

With Tom Waits' extensive musical career, this will be a tour not to miss! Get ready for an amazing show and get your discount Tom Waits tickets today!