Tom Kimmel (born Thomas Eugene Hobbs II in 1953 in Memphis, Tennessee), is an American singer-songwriter and poet. Tom Kimmel grew up largely in small towns in south Alabama. He attended public schools and graduated the University of Alabama in 1975. A respected performer and recording artist, Kimmel is perhaps best known as a songwriter, as his compositions have been recorded by many popular artists, including Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker and Randy Travis. His songs have also been featured in television shows including Miami Vice, Touched By An Angel and Dawson’s Creek—and in films including Twins, Runaway Bride and Serendipity. His concert performances stress a soulful, acoustic-centered approach and bring a poignant, humorous spirit to his songs, poems and stories. Today he continues to tour widely, usually as a solo performer. He occasionally tours with the Sherpas, a trio he formed in 1994 with Michael Lille and Tom Prasada Rao. A new trio, the New Agrarians, was recently formed with Pierce Pettis and Kate Campbell. As writer and artist, Kimmel’s devotion to spiritual inquiry and social activism is evident in the depth of his work, and he is appreciated for his compelling and intelligent recordings. A man comfortable wearing many hats, he frequently teaches songwriting and creative expression at retreats and workshops, and in 2006 he published his first book of poems. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife and daughter.
