Thomas Moody (musician)

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Thomas Moody


Img_capt = Thomas Moody better known as "TMoody"
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Thomas Nelson Moody
Alias = TMoody
Born = birth date and age|1970|11|19 Charleston, South Carolina USA
Origin = Myrtle Beach, South Carolina USA
Instrument = Guitar
Genre = Rock, Rock-a-Billy, Acoustic Instrumental, Roots Rock
Occupation = Singer, songwriter, guitarist, performer
URL = [http://tmoody.com TMoody.com]

EARLY YEARS

TMoody was born Thomas Nelson Moody on November 19, 1970 to Mary and Russell Tacket. His father left a year and a half after Thomas’s birth and his mother moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where she married Tommy Moody who legally adopted the 3-year-old Thomas. Although the family moved several times within the County during Thomas’ 12 years of schooling, he graduated from Conway High School in 1989.

This year was significant for him on another level as well, as he developed a stronger interest in his Protestant faith. He enrolled in some seminary courses to better understand this new direction of his life and graduated from Langston Baptist with a degree in Theology. In 1990 he married Kimberly Cooper, and seven years later they would have a son, Nathanael Thomas Moody.

MUSIC IN HIS LIFE

From an early age he was drawn to music. At age 2 he knew the word "guitar" and was so fascinated by guitars that his parents gave him a small toy one. By the time he was 5, when guests came he would hide so that his mother could announce him and he could appear and perform. When he was 12, he first heard Angus Young, whose music inspired him to be even more serious about his own music. Like most teenagers he played in and out of any bands that needed a guitar player and dreamed of being a musician. He played talent shows, school events, family gatherings, church youth groups, various “garage” bands, and anywhere they would let him. However, after his marriage he played less and less. He often had to work 2 jobs to pay off their home and their cars. He worked as a grocery bagger, a shop supervisor, a shipping and freight supervisor, Nor did his in-laws, who were closely and continually involved with the young couple, approve of his music. It was only through remaining active in his church that he occasionally played as he traveled and preached in various locales in South Carolina and made a few appearances on cable access Christian TV programs.

In 1998 his’ musical dreams began to stir once again. In the smallest room of his home he began to hide out and write songs while developing his guitar skills. He would make demo tapes and find anywhere he could to share his music. His wife and in-laws’ attitudes about his music ranged from uncaring and unsupportive to full blown negative, but he continued writing and honing his skills. Eventually he made the decision to escape the confines of his first marriage. He says “I didn’t do it the right way and I’m still paying a high price for things I did wrong, but still, I’m glad it got done!” He and Kimberly divorced in 2001, although he has maintained an unbroken relationship with his son.

After the divorce, although he had completed some courses at Georgetown Technical School and was working as an IT technician for Horry County, his life continued on a downward spiral. He began drinking heavily, womanizing and playing for free beer and tips. Even though he rarely missed a day at his Horry County IT job, his divorce and his lifestyle created severe financial troubles including bankruptcy and a 2004 DUI that landed him in the Horry County Jail for all his fellow county workers to see. Even then, he still would not acknowledge that his drinking was out of control.

In 2003 he met Jill and soon after they started dating she challenged him to go one week without a drink. He did but at the same time discovered he was indeed an alcoholic. One day in March of 2005, he got fed up with what alcohol was doing to him and simply gave up the bottle.

Musically, some benefits came from that dark period, like "“The Bottle" the story of so many nights when he would get drunk and Jill would leave him at whatever bar he was in. “She hated when I got drunk and wanted no part of it. She said I was obnoxious and annoying. So there I am, partying and having a great time and she’s gone…just disappeared! Finally one morning I woke up outside on a concrete patio behind my friend’s bar and as usual, Jill was no where to be found. The next day when I was finally sober I wrote "‘The Bottle.’"

MUSIC AS A CAREER

On January 1, 2005, he and Jill got married. She convinced him that his gift for music deserved his full-time effort. He quit his job with the County and began a serious career in music, “getting back to the roots of rock,” as well as undertaking the development and supervision for nearly a year of The Christian Hangout, a venue of alcohol- and drug-free entertainments like video games, pool contests, movies, cookouts and live music for all ages and all faiths.

In 2006 he released his first CD, "Acoustic Groove", original music of classic guitar-driven rock with lyrics of love and hope, and he began performing in various area locales including the House of Blues. While he usually performs solo, he does have musicians – guitarists, drummers, vocalists, a flautist, a saxophonist, and keyboardists -- whom he contacts for particular events or a particular recording By November Jill sold her real estate business and became his full-time manager.

In 2007 he released two more CDs of original songs, "Metamorphosis", which he describes as “Southern Fried Rock with a side of shred,” and with an entirely different sound, "Amethyst", a collection soothing, haunting instrumentals. His performances expanded throughout the state as well as into North Carolina and Tennessee, including some “guerilla gigging” – arriving unexpectedly to play at whatever venue seems hospitable. Since his CDs began appearing on almost all the major retail mart websites, his fan base has expanded across the United States to California and to Europe and Australia as well.

Of his performance and musical skills, Ronald Jackson of [http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-19614.html "The Jazz Review"] , writes, “There will be no doubt about his acoustic guitar mastery once you've heard him.” TMoody’s sound has been compared to The Black Crowes, Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Mellencamp, Jeff Healy, The Outlaws, and ZZ Top. Herb Barbee of [http://www.rootsmusicreport.com/index.php "Roots Music Report"] writes“This multi-talented artist, is apparently very much at ease regardless of which style of music he decides to play.” Paul Gentry of [http://sockspider.com/index.html "Sock Spider Review"] writes, “I’d certainly pay money to watch T.Moody play guitar.You can feel the passion and the unadulterated love of music.He’s well worth the price of admission.”

TMoody prefers working as an independent artist. He believes there has been a major paradigm shift in the music industry where a label can be an albatross, not an avenue to success. Statistics show that 97% of artists with labels fail. TMoody prefers to go another route, and to explore it he and Jill produced their video series, "History Makers" of how independent artists can make music central – and profitable – in their lives. They have also written a popular book, released in 2008, titled , "10 Things That Can Kill Your Music Career And Send You Crawling Back To Your Old Job!". They are on a mission to sell one million CDs – without benefit of “a label” – to prove to independent musicians that, using modern technology and distribution opportunities, they can forget their own career without waiting for a 3% chance label.

The year 2008 will see the release of another CD of more original music, and plans are underway for a Christmas CD as well. TMoody remains a devout Christian and lives his life accordingly, yet he is grounded in reality of the problems we all face and respects people’s right to believe what they choose. He does, however, encourage them to “check things out thoroughly before betting your eternal soul on it.”

DISCOGRAPHY

"Acoustic Groove" (2006) Stay, Lawman, Run, Remember Me, I’m Right, The Bottle, Life’s Lessons, Breathe, Close to Me, Love Song

"Metamorphosis" (2006) Spare Change, Sparrow, I Believe in Love, Alliance, Desert Song, Geetar Sound, Metamorphosis, Rattlesnake, Diamond

"Amethyst" (2007) Daybreak, Amethyst, Prophecy, Quest, Warrior, Lakehouse, Reflection, Peace, Sunset, Moonlight

Websites:

* [http://tmoody.com TMoody.com]
* [http://www.myspace/TMoody www.myspace/TMoody]
* [http://www.myspeca/TMoodyAcoustic www.myspace/TMoodyAcoustic]
* [http://www.YouTube/TMoodyBand www.YouTube/TMoodyBand]