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Biography
 
A&M Press Release
8th October 1974
Tom Jans is a native Californian with a life-long love for music and
language. He crammed his adolescence full of books, sports, and music, playing in a rock
& roll band called the Breakers when he wasn't wearing football gear. At the
University of California, Jans was an English major; he developed a fondness for both
Byron and Dylan on his way to winning a Phi Beta Kappa key.
Playing in a San Francisco coffeehouse not long after graduation, Tom was surprised to see
Joan Baez in the audience, and even more surprised when Baez later told him she liked his
music very much. Joan called her sister, Mimi Farina, who was looking for a male
writer-singer to work with. Tom and Mimi met and the two soon joined musical talents,
touring with Cat Stevens in Europe and James Taylor in the U.S.
By late 1972, Tom was on his own and trying to build a career as a solo artist. When he
met Paul and Mentor Williams, both involved with A&M, it was the start of another
fruitful creative
association. Jans joined Irving/Almo music as a staff writer; within a short time his
talent and the expressive quality of his songs became apparent. Dobie Gray, who is
produced by Mentor, recorded Tom's "Lovin' Arms" as a single and as the title
song to his most recent album. It was only the beginning. In no time, "Lovin'
Arms" was being recorded by a number of country and pop artists, including Elvis
Presley and Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge. Frank Sinatra, Paul Williams, Johnny
Paycheck and Tammy Wynette are just a few of the artists who have recorded Tom's songs.
With his debut solo album, Tom Jans, Tom is singing his songs with a newfound forcefulness
and confidence; at the same time his writing has become more expressive. Tom Jans is a
gifted young wnter-performer and his rapid rate of growth as an artist is the most
impressive aspect of his talent. Paul Williams said of Tom's writing, "He's one of
the best young writers around." The album was produced in Nashville by Mentor
Williams.
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photo credit:
tom sheehan London 20th May 1977
This page updated January 2002 by Geoff
GMGough@clara.net
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