| About Tom Maxwell | Songwriter, singer, slide guitar player Tom Maxwell's bluesy roots are instantly recognizable, but his pop-oriented lyrical and melodic sensibilities coupled with soul-stained vocals bring something a bit different to the table. A mix of alternative country, blues-inspired themes, rock, pop, and soul stylings, Tom's debut album "Somebody" reflects all of his musical influences while speaking in his unique voice. Like so many before him, Tom Maxwell got his hands on a guitar, fell in love with it, and was never the same again. But it wasn't until he wrote his first verses that he discovered his true passion - songwriting. Tom started playing the guitar as a freshman in high school. Inspired by Jimmy Page and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Maxwell dove head first into the world of rock and blues. His father's love of music and virtuosity introduced Tom not only to the compositions of Mozart and Chopin, but to the bluegrass masters Monroe and Scruggs. He and his father, a mandolin and guitar player himself, attended local bluegrass jams, giving Tom his first real opportunity to make some music with others. After high school, Maxwell enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College, which allowed him to stay in school and pursue his passion for music. There he met David Loving - the lead singer, rhythm guitar player, and songwriter of an indie rock band called Solace Sovay. He and Tom became friends and when Solace Sovay needed a new lead guitar player, Tom signed on as a member of the band. They worked together for a few months, but ended up going their separate ways in early 2009. Before long, Tom was frequenting the open mics and blues jams in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland, playing and gaining as much experience as he could. He caught the attention of the man who ran most of those jams, Steve 'Wolf' Crescenze, and was asked to join one of his projects called Hot Rods and Old Gas with guitarist and vocalist Andy Poxon, guitarist Zach Sweeney, and drummer Mike O' Donnell. As they started to gain a local following, they were joined by Lisa Lim, a front woman with a following of her own. Tom, Lisa, and Wolf started another group, separate from but associated with Hot Rods and Old Gas, called Over the Limit. After the departure of Andy, Zach, and Mike from Hot Rods and Old Gas, Over the Limit became Tom Maxwell's main project. Midway through 2011, Tom realized that it was time to get serious and start to focus on creating an album of original music. After a year of writing, rewriting, and finally coming up with 11 great tracks, the "Somebody" sessions took place in April, May, and June of 2012, with mixing and mastering completed in June and July. August 28, 2012 marked the official release of Tom's original music to the world. With "Somebody" now available, Tom Maxwell is more eager than ever to get out and make music that moves him and anybody listening. Tom Maxwell is all over the DC/MD/VA area, playing his original music or high-energy blues and roots rock with Over the Limit and Hot Rods and Old Gas. |
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