The Tom Hipps Show

A Tom Hipps show is fun, first and foremost, though I'm serious about doing an exceptional job for my clients. I truly enjoy what I do, and love meeting new people, performing for them and engaging with them. I've been blessed with an excellent singing voice, influenced by early Elton John, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney and Freddie Mercury, among others. People often marvel at how I can emulate the original artists, while retaining my own style. I accompany myself with guitar and piano, a vocal harmonizer, and a Porchboard... an electronic gizmo I tap with my foot that gives the music extra fullness and a bit of a beat. My original songs, which have enjoyed airplay on major radio stations in the US and abroad, are melodic and catchy, with positive messaging. If you also like to hear familiar songs you've known and loved, I'm more than happy to cover tunes by Paul Simon, Elton John, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffet, Elvis, Hank Williams, Eagles, Steve Miller, Bob Seger, John Denver, Jim Croce, Tom Petty, Neil Diamond and many other artists. I specialize in 1970's radio hits, but also mix in 'crooner' standards, rockabilly, rhythm-n-blues, gospel, classic country and treasured songs from the 1920s-1980s (not much past that... I'm a retro kind of guy:)

NOTE: I love performing Christmas music and can include several yuletide favorites in my repertoire. I'm now booking Holiday events and would love to complement your gathering with seasonal music along with the rest of my rich repertoire of classic popular tunes!

I got my first taste of the music biz when my band of fellow 9th-graders scored a gig playing at an auto service center for a crew of beer-drinking mechanics at the end of their shift. As the first song concluded... silence. Until one of them hollered, "Tune yer #@*& guitar!" After that humble (and humbling) beginning, and lots more after-school rehearsal, my band THE RITZ eventually forged an identity as one of the Midwest's top acts. Our first single, "Face to Face", released when we were still in high school, scored airplay on 4 radio stations (hey, it was a start) and became a jukebox favorite in pizza parlors and teen centers.

Years of touring eventually followed, entailing thousands of shows all over the US and Canada. I have appeared as a session vocalist on several other artists' recording projects, various specialty CD's, and have even done a few advertising jingles. I appeared as lead vocalist on the 2002 Target Corporation CD Praise & Worship Christmas (32,000 copies sold) and am the recipient of a Billboard Musical Achievement Award. Still, my greatest achievement is simply having been able to entertain, encourage and enrich other people by sharing the musical gifts with which I've been blessed.

I've released seven albums... Everybody & Their Brother, Then Went the Demons, 211 Degrees (with my band From Ordinary), Christmas Peace, a best-of collection entitled The Road So Far, Spiritfruit, and Christmas Hope. My songs have gotten airplay on dozens of radio stations in the US and all over the world, and has appeared in shows on TV networks including NBC (KARE-11), PBS, HULU and HBO. My music is available for purchase through my website and most other major online retailers, can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music among others.

I've recently published my first book, entitled 'For Those Who Don't Get Famous: How to Get Started, Build Your Brand and Enjoy Success On Your Own Terms in the Music Business'. In it, I've packed everything I've learned about making a living in music into an easy-to-follow guidebook to help budding (or seasoned) musicians find their way in the music biz, while re-defining success to mean fulfillment and being of value to others rather than just chasing fame. It is available on Amazon.

You can catch me performing in solo shows; my music duo COSTELLO & HIPPS; or in my band The 22nd Row, a celebration of the music of Elton John. I take great pleasure in occasionally serving as guest musician at various churches, and my past and present associations with the MN Assistance Council for Veterans, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Crossroads Chapel at the MN State Fair, North Memorial Hospital and the Humphrey Cancer Center, the Salvation Army and other charitable causes and ministries. I perform several shows a year for residents in assisted living and memory care communities.

I hope you'll consider allowing me to entertain at your event. I'm a seasoned professional, dependable and easy to work with. I'm often complimented on my repertoire, and people love to sing along! I invite you to read my reviews here on the Gig Salad website to instill even more confidence in hiring me!

I bring my own 2-speaker Yamaha PA system suitable for smaller to medium-size rooms (up to approximately 300 capacity) and use LED lights that create a colorful ambiance. I need only one standard electrical outlet, as all of my gear requires just one power strip (which I bring). A performance/stage area of approximately 8' wide x 6' deep is sufficient. Setup/breakdown takes about 45 minutes, give or take.