Tommy Thompson

Place of Birth: Waycross, Georgia and, no, I don't give a hoot in hell for the Georgia Bulldogs

Hobbies, Interests: The Blues (of course), Boating, Fishing, rocking on the porch of my St. Johns River cabin and Florida Gator sports.

Family Facts: Raised in the wilds of North Central Florida near Gainesville. Graduated from the University of Florida in 1967. Spent 5 years as a captain in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Germany before returning to Orlando, Florida in late 1971. Recently retired from the commercial banking business after 35 years. Have been a part time Blues Programmer since 1991, and now, since retiring, spend most of my time programming and managing Smokestack Lightnin'.

Influenced By: My Mother was my original musical influence. She was big into the jazz standards of the 40s and 50s (Sinatra, Tony Bennett, George Shearing, and many more). When I first discovered Rock & Roll and then the Blues she thought I had literally lost my mind. Then she caught on. Before she died she became the biggest fan Stevie Ray Vaughan ever had. Go figure.

Other Stuff: My wife, Susan, of 42 years, passed away in 2009 after a long battle with M.S. Both kids, Buffy and Steven, are grown and out on their own so it's just me and ny blues show!. That's my two Grandsons, Chase and Cole, in the picture.

Favorite Quote: I bought you a brand new Ford, you said I want a Cadillac! I bought you a ten dollar dinner, you said thanks for the snack! I let you live in my Penthouse, you said it was just a shack! I gave you seven children and now you want to give 'em Back! Oh Baby, how Blue can you get? B.B. King , 1963

Bio from http://www.smokestacklightnin.com/