THOM BRESH - Thom Bresh, the son of
Country Music Hall of Fame great Merle Travis, is a successful musical performer
in his own right. Bresh did not begin his music career until his adult years.
From age 3 to age 17, he worked as an actor and stuntman at Corriganville, where
such programs as The Lone Ranger and the Billy the Kidd trilogy. Finger-picking
in the style made famous by his father, he brings his father's legacy to new
audiences. Bresh is a singer, songwriter, impressionist, and instrumentalist,
who calls his guitar, "my band." He has performed alongside performers ranging
from Bob Hope to Chet Atkins to Gordon Lightfoot. Bresh hosted a weekly
television variety show of his own creation, Nashville Swing, has been a regular
on the Merv Griffin Show and Dinah, and made a guest appearance on the TNN
special A Salute to the Country Greats. As a producer, he has been employed by
Country legend Jerry Reed, Classical guitarist Valerie DuChateau, and Merle
Travis. As a videographer, Bresh has shot, produced, and edited projects for
Hank Thompson, Lyle Lovett, Brooks & Dunn, George Jones, Tanya Tucker and Jerry
Reed.
The versatile Thom Bresh plays no less than nine instruments, including the tuba
and the steel guitar; he also sings, acts, and does impressions of celebrities.
The son of country hero Merle Travis, Bresh was born in Hollywood, where he
debuted at the age three singing "Your Cheatin' Heart" at the Carriganville
Movie Ranch. He made his feature film debut at age seven and was already
learning to play guitar. At age 15, he replaced Roy Clark in Hank Penny's band
and eventually replaced Hank when he retired. Bresh then became an
actor/stuntman for about ten years, also playing with the Crescents in the
mid-'60s.
In 1970, he formed his own road band, toured, and eventually returned to L.A.,
appearing in musicals such as The Music Man. He next moved to Seattle to run
Merilee Rush's recording studio and co-hosted the Canadian television show
Nashville Swings. He cut the single "D.B. Cooper, Where Are You" in 1972 for
Kapp, recorded two singles for MGM three years later, and moved to the Farr
label in 1976. There he recorded the album Homemade Love, whose title cut became
a Top Ten hit and was followed by a string of Top 40 hits. In late 1977, Bresh
began a four-year association with ABC/Dot Records, where he cut two albums,
Kicked Back (1977) and Portrait (1978). Bresh signed to Liberty in 1983 and
released a minor hit duet with Lane Brody, "When It Comes to Love."
Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night benefits the
Music For Life Alliance
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