BIOGRAPHY Tom Duda is a writer and musician with an extensive body of work including literally, hundreds of original songs and instrumental compositions.

His earliest works (and formative years) were spent as a founding member of Latrobe, PA’s Loco Brothers Band, a hard working, “there’s good rockin’ tonight” bar band, that tried to feature original music from its very inception, which was in the summer of 1971. By the time of the band's eventual “last waltz” in December of 1983, they had progressed to doing gigs built on roughly 60 to 70% original music – a real feat at a time (70’s through 80’s) when only a handful of bands were able to pull it off. These were the days of 4 sets, 10 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. (and often much later) exhausting gigs, long drives and pocket change money.

During those years, the Loco Brothers Band shared the stage with many of the great rock acts of the day including Bob Seger, Kansas and many more. Tom has had a great many musical influences over the years including Danny Gatton, Delbert McClinton and many of the great soul acts of the sixties and seventies.

In early 1984 Tom began working exclusively in the studio (when the budget allowed). Over the past 20 years, he has recorded 2 cassette albums and 4 CDs of original music. A short discography with comments from Tom is included below.

Tom passed away suddenly on August 2nd, 2011. His music and creative spirit will live on. See Tom's obituary

DISCOGRAPHY    

Instrumental Telepathy
CD completed in 2004 - 12 songs.
I have always loved instrumentals, and I wanted to record an instrumental CD for the longest time – not a jam CD, but an instrumental composition of lasting melodies, covering many musical styles, lots of rhythmic changes, all highlighted by great solos from Balcony Big Band refugee saxman Greg Lutz, keyboardist Bill Hubauer, vibes by Dave Walters, swing pedal steel by Pete Freeman (of the Mavens) and on Hillbilly Hepcats, a violin/fiddle solo through a wah-wah pedal by Steve (they won’t let me use a wah-wah in Nashville) Stokes.

On one track, Charlane’s Allure, I had the privilege of working with Chuck Leavell, the legendary keyboard man who’s played on so many great classic rock albums and has toured endlessly with the biggest acts in rock and roll – all so big that I refuse to name drop here. If you know rock and roll history, you’re familiar with Chuck Leavell already. Suffice it to say I was thrilled.

Soul Kiss
CD completed in 1999-2000 - 15 songs.
The beginning of my work association with drummer and graphic artist Troy Cramer. There's also lots of Eric DeFade, horn driven rockin’ soul. A couple of pop/rock tunes, a ballad and four instrumental compositions. 1 hour of music. Check out the review written by Rege Behe of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette I have included on the Press page.

Love Is King
CD completed in 1994-95 -15 songs.
Lots of horns with Eric DeFade of the Billy Price Band, and Eddie “The King” Kistler on Sax. Back-up vocals by Al Snyder, Curt Erickson, and Dave Hanner of the Corbin Hanner Band. Songs of love gone right, love gone wrong, love gone amoral, and souls saved by love almighty. Really, they’re not love songs at all – just songs about love and its many permutations and deviations!

For A Lifetime
Cassette only, 1990 - 14 songs.
This album was completed around 1990. We did a lot of experimentation on this one. Four of the 14 were co-writes with the likes of Dave Hanner (Movin’), Bill Corbin (The Girl I Used to Know), Dave Freeland (Hungry for Your Love), and Billy Price (The One Who Gets Left) while 10 were Tom’s writing alone.

A View from the Grille
Cassette only, 1987 - 8 songs
This album of good pop/rock songs was completed in 1986-87. I still feel that 4 of these songs should have been radio hits for somebody – Maybe Next Time, Little One, She Ain’t You and Brand New Girl, were all pop treats.

Also, this was the beginning of a 20 year working association with incredible keyboardist Bill Hubauer, Pittsburgh writer, musician, producer and engineer Dave Hanner, and TJ Wilkins, the "ear" in engineering.

Someday we should combine the first 2 cassette albums onto one 22 song CD – if we could only find an old 1 inch 16 track tape machine to play the multitrack masters!