.:: The Ultimate Blues Brothers Fansite ::.

Join! | Forgot Password?
Home / Band/Actor Profiles / Tommy McDonnell

Tommy McDonnell

Back Return to Band/Actor Profiles

Biography of Tommy McDonnell

Tommy McDonnell
Tommy McDonnell
Instrument: Vocals, Harmonica

Date of Birth: 11th January, 1965 (Aged 45)
URL: http://www.tommypipes.com/

Tommy McDonnell, nicknamed "Pipes O Toole", by the great sax player George Young, later shortened to "Pipes", by Blue Lou is a musician who grew up in the Bronx, New York. After being a successful drummer in local bands for many years, he stepped out front to pursue a singing career. In 1988 Tommy, along with all the top singers in NYC, auditioned for a NY based soul band which included Blue Lou and Mr. Fabulous called THE NUFF BROTHERS. Getting chosen for that band was the turning point in his career. All of a sudden he was the new kid on the block playing with the greatest players in the music business.

When Larry couldn’t go to Japan in 1995, Blue Lou and Mr Fabulous suggested Tommy for the spot. He went to Japan for 30 days of gigs without any rehearsal. "All I had to go on was a tape from a few years before."The tour was a success and the boys asked Tommy to join. The rest in Blues Brothers history. When Dan Aykroyd met Tommy in 1996 at the opening of the Atlanta, Ga. House of blues during the Olympics, he deemed him "the Irish tenor who went to sin and started singing the blues."

Tommy has since been a featured singer on many albums including the Blues Brothers live in Chicago, Blues Brothers 2000 soundtrack,The SOS All-Stars, Syndicate of Soul, young guitar virtuoso Gil Parris.and Eileen Ivers and Immigrant soul.

For the last 7 years has been touring with Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul. Tommy continues to tour with the Blues Brothers Band whenever possible.

Comments
In order to post a comment you must sign in first.