Tom Hamilton

Thomas William Hamilton (born December 31, 1951) is an American musician and songwriter who serves as the bassist for the hard rock bands Aerosmith and Close Enemies. Hamilton has regularly co-written songs for Aerosmith, including two of the band's biggest successes: "Sweet Emotion" (1975) and "Janie's Got a Gun" (1989). Hamilton occasionally plays guitar (e.g. "Uncle Salty", "Sick as a Dog"), sings backing vocals (e.g. "Love in an Elevator") and on rare occasions, lead vocals ("Up On the Mountain"). He was a 2001 inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Aerosmith.

Hamilton was born to George and Betty Hamilton in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has an older brother named Scott, an older sister named Perry, and a younger sister named Cecily. His father was a United States Air Force pilot in World War II and his mother was a housewife.

Hamilton initially played guitar and was taught at age 12 by his older brother Scott. He switched to bass when he was 14 due to an open position in a local band. Later, Hamilton was in several bands with future Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and David "Pudge" Scott. One of the bands was simply called "The Jam Band." It was at a Jam Band gig in the summer of 1970 at a venue named "The Barn" in Sunapee, New Hampshire that the group met Steven Tyler. Next, the four of them agreed to move to Boston to start a band (not yet named Aerosmith). Scott left the group shortly thereafter and was replaced by Tyler on drums. The three became a power trio with Hamilton on bass, Perry on guitar, and Tyler doubling as both the vocalist and drummer. Guitarist Ray Tabano and drummer Joey Kramer would join shortly thereafter; Kramer replaced Tyler on drums so he could focus on vocals and also named the band "Aerosmith." Tabano would be replaced by Brad Whitford in 1971.

According to Aerosmith's official website, Hamilton's favorite song by the band is "The Farm" (from the 1997 album Nine Lives). He married Terry Cohen in 1975 and they have two children.

Prior to becoming a musician, Hamilton worked as a nursing home orderly and had embarked on a journey to become an actor; he was accepted into two different acting schools but declined to pursue a career in music. Eventually, however, Hamilton would fulfill his acting goal by joining the cast of Banned in Boston in 1996; he has been performing with them yearly since.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.