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Bio
Tom Munch has brought a blend of Southwest-folk-jazz to Southern Colorado's music scene for two decades. Tom has performed at a wide variety of venues, including concerts and festivals, restaurants and schools, civic events and nursing homes, and even dude ranches and the Royal Gorge Bridge. His versatility also is seen in an impressive repertoire of some 2,500 songs. Styles include jazz standards, western, folk, classic rock, R&B, children's and rare historic songs, plus originals. Tom finds the heart of each song and performs with a love of music and respect for his audience, whether it be in a concert setting or for his weekly work with Alzheimer's patients. Tom has released six CDs: "Tribute," featuring classic jazz standards in a tribute to his father; "Signature," "Profile" and "Down to Earth," featuring an eclectic mix of favorites from the past 20 years of playing; and "Christmas," a collection of holiday songs. His current project is a retrospective colonial music CD for the Zebulon Pike Bicentennial featuring a collaboration with Don Richmond and Rex Rideout titled "A Voyage of Such Nature." Tom spent much of his life in New Mexico where he acquired an ear for both Southwest music and Texas two-step. He melded these musical loves with his formal education in music from the University of Nebraska. In Pueblo Tom stretched his musical talents into the realm of producing concerts by bringing in nationally renowned folk artists. He also produced numerous concerts featuring local musicians through his participation in the Pueblo Songwriters and Musicians Association. Though best known as a solo artist, Tom also performs in ensembles from time to time. He plays in a hot bluegrass/R&B/funk/folk group called Drive, performs at several festivals & events with the '50s rock band, Tom Munch and the Atomic Fireballs, and the latest is a duo with Johnny Watson on congas. Tom's strength lies in his ability to adapt to any venue and audience. He can croon with the best or bring the audience to its feet with a toe tapper, all the while with a smile and a genuine affection for the music.
A Few Quotes about My Music
“Tom's voice is magnificent….(He has) the best amplified vocal and acoustic guitar tone I've ever heard.... Tom is one of the finest artists I've ever had the pleasure with whom to work.” – Ken Jacob, Director of Advanced Development, Bose Corp.
– Don Richmond, noted Colorado musician/songwriter
“You’re the best baritone I’ve ever heard in my life.” – Randy Forrester, host, KSFR-National Public Radio
“Like the most comfortable pair of well-worn blue jeans, Tom Munch's welcoming Christmas is a great folk fit. His easygoing acoustic presence combines warm and unpretentious vocals with minimal orchestration (supported by Don Richmond), and the result is almost a full hour (57 minutes!) of relaxed holiday fun.” – Carol Swanson, Christmasreviews.com
“Tom Munch possesses an able, adaptable singing voice, and his finger picking on acoustic guitar seems to find just the right interpretation on any song....He'll size up a crowd and, without skipping a beat, take a request from a customer barely tall enough to place a dollar in his tip jar. Soon after "Shortnin' Bread" is delivered with jazz chords and affection …. Munch's easygoing manner is reflected in the songs he performs, whether they're self-penned or covers from any decade of this century.” -- The Pueblo Chieftain
“Tom Munch, a star guitarist/songwriter from Pueblo, returned as a feature act.... True to his billing, he delivered a variety of musical styles and songs that riveted us.... He rewarded the audience with outstanding entertainment that included a spectrum of musical styles. His songs ranged from warm, folksy tunes to upbeat instrumentals. In addition to good music, Tom charmed everyone with casual, friendly patter that made his performance even more enjoyable.” -- Black Rose Acoustic Society
Recent Publicity
Tom Munch keeps his music down to earth
By PETER ROPER The Pueblo Chieftain
Few Pueblo-area entertainers have shown the staying power that Tom Munch and his guitar have since the Nebraska man dropped his suitcase and declared the Steel City home in 1985.
"I wasn't planning on playing music full time back then, although that was my dream," the 41-year-old musician explained during a recent interview. "But I started playing a few local gigs and it sort of took off from there."
Since coming to Pueblo, Munch has put together a following that has allowed him to market four CDs of songs in the past four years. The most recent, "Down to Earth," is available locally at Tivoli's, 325 S. Union Ave., and Dee's Too Gourmet in the Sunset Plaza Shopping Center.
Munch uses his fine guitar playing and mellow voice to showcase both old and new material. Typically, he tries to revive some historic music on an album as well as covering well-known favorites such as "Stardust."
He isn't afraid to try something outrageous, either. "I've worked out an instrumental version of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' that my friends think is pretty interesting," he said with a laugh.
Munch has such a warm manner and style of music that listeners are immediately comfortable. That's why he has been a regular entertainer at clubs and restaurants around the region. When area people are looking for a reliable professional to entertain at parties or events, Munch's telephone rings.
"When I first came to town, I didn't really have the skills or the repertoire to make it full time as an entertainer, but I was fortunate enough to land a steady gig at the Pueblo West Best Western," Munch said. "That turned into a 10-year stand and during that time, I was able to improve and develop the confidence that I could do this for a living."
Although he grew up in Nebraska, Munch was very familiar with the Pueblo region, too.
"My family used to spend summers in the New Mexico mountains and I'd always loved this part of the country," he said.
He started playing the guitar as a teen-ager and like thousands of other young players of that era, was heavily influenced by folk-rock singers like James Taylor, Cat Stevens, John Denver and others.
"But when I'd come to New Mexico, I'd hear more country music out of the Texas and Oklahoma traditions - people like Lyle Lovett and Nancy Griffith - and all of it had its influence on me," he explained.
Munch writes his own songs as well, but has tended to stick to more established material when recording. "I've even revived old tunes from the Civil War and included them among more contemporary songs," he said.
In the past few years, Munch has also branched out from a solo act and plays in two local bands as well. One band, called Tom Munch and the Atomic Fireballs - a play on the flaming hot candy that became so popular in the 1950s - specializes in the rock ’n’ roll from that era.
The other is a jazzier band, called Drive, and it plays an eclectic collection of music.
"Both have fine musicians in them and we have great fun," Munch said.
Places I've Played
Here's a list of most of the places I've played over the past 20 years. Some of the locations are gone now.
HIGHLIGHTS Broadmoor - Colorado Springs Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Denver NewWestFest - Fort Collins Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Taos Inn - Taos Donkey Derby Days - Cripple Creek Black Rose Acoustic Society - Colorado Springs Pikes Peak International Raceway Royal Gorge Bridge - Cañon City Gold Rush Days - Buena Vista Old Dillon Inn - Dillon Colorado State Fair Mitchell Museum - Trinidad Sangre de Cristo Arts Center - Pueblo Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Groundbreaking - Pueblo Rosemount Museum - Pueblo Marriott Hotel - Pueblo
RESTAURANTS La Cocina - Taos Le Bunnerie - Taos Carriage House - Pueblo Baker Creek - Cuchara Nick's Bistro - Pueblo Solid Ground - Pueblo West Parkside Steak House - Pueblo Café del Rio - Pueblo
HOTELS Broadmoor - Colorado Springs Pueblo West Inn - Pueblo West St. Cloud Hotel - Cañon City Taos Inn - Taos River Mountain Lodge - Breckenridge Holiday Inn - Pueblo & Frisco La Veta Inn - La Veta Marriott Hotel - Pueblo
CLUBS Laddy's - Arvada Savoy - Pueblo Riverside - Pueblo Sagebrush Inn - Taos Texas Reds - Red River, NM WaZubi's - Trinidad Gabe's Ragtime - Pueblo Peaceful Henry's - Guffey Old Dillon Inn - Dillon S.T.'s Pour House - Pueblo West 50's West - Pueblo Timbers - Cuchara Rendezvous - Pueblo McGuffeys - Lincoln, NE The Rose - Lincoln, NE
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Don K Guest Ranch - Wetmore Colorado State Fair Pines Guest Ranch - Westcliffe Yellow Pine Guest Ranch - Cuchara Buckskin Joe - Cañon City Royal Gorge - Cañon City
SCHOOLS McClelland - Pueblo Lamar Community College - Lamar Pikes Peak Community College - Colorado Springs University of Southern Colorado - Pueblo
MUSEUMS Mitchell Museum - Trinidad El Pueblo Museum - Pueblo Rosemount Museum - Pueblo Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Sangre de Cristo Arts Center - Pueblo
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Santa Fe Trail Days - Trinidad Gold Rush Days - Buena Vista Art on the Arkansas - Cañon City Stonewall Festival - Cuchara Pass Missouri Days - Fowler Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Denver Beulah Arts Festival - Beulah Donkey Derby Days - Cripple Creek Candlelight Concert Series - Trinidad NewWestFest - Fort Collins Oktoberfest - La Veta Oktoberfest - Royal Gorge Earth Day - Pueblo Memory Walk - Pueblo Cañon Rose - Cañon City Kiowa County Fair - Eads Philmont Scout Ranch - Cimarron, NM Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Groundbreaking - Pueblo Music & Munchin' on Main - Pueblo Knife & Fork Club - Cañon City Holy Cross Abbey - Cañon City Mountain Acoustic Musicians Association - Woodland Park Black Rose Acoustic Society - Colorado Springs Business After Hours - Pueblo Gourmet Sampler - Cañon City World Wide Cruises - Cañon City & Pueblo
OTHER VENUES Borders - Colorado Springs Barnes & Noble - Colorado Springs & Pueblo Pueblo Convention Center - Pueblo Tivoli's - Pueblo Pike's Peak International Raceway Pueblo Records & Tapes - Pueblo St. Mary Corwin Hospital - Pueblo VFW Pueblo West Elks Lodge - Pueblo & Florence
PRIVATE PARTIES Rio Rancho, NM (Albuquerque) Taos, NM Trinidad Cuchara La Veta Gardner Westcliffe Pueblo Beulah Eads Las Animas Canon City Penrose Florence Guffey Woodland Park Victor Colorado Springs Parker Denver Golden Steamboat Springs Greeley |
