Thom Bresh Explained

Thom Bresh
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Thomas Charles Bresh[1]
Alias:Tom Bresh
Birth Date:23 February 1948
Birth Place:Hollywood, California, U.S.
Death Place:Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Instrument:Vocals, guitar
Genre:Country
Occupation:Singer, songwriter, actor, stuntman
Years Active:1951–2022
Label:Kapp, Farr, ABC
Past Member Of:Merle Travis

Thomas Charles Bresh (February 23, 1948 – May 23, 2022), sometimes spelled Tom Bresh, was an American country music guitarist and singer. Active from the 1970s, Bresh charted multiple singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Biography

Bresh was born on February 23, 1948, in Hollywood, California, as the son of country singer Merle Travis. As a child, Bresh began acting in films and recording his own music.[2] He also worked as a movie stuntman at the Corriganville Movie Ranch.

In 1963, he was a member of the rock and roll band The Crescents featuring Chiyo when they recorded an instrumental track, "Pink Dominos". Producer Kim Foley issued this as a 45RPM single with "Breakout" on the B-side. "Pink Dominos" peaked at No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1964.[3]

He then released a solo single about D. B. Cooper which was withdrawn due to controversy over its subject matter.[4]

Starting in 1972, Bresh recorded for Kapp Records. His first charted single, "Home Made Love", made number six on the Hot Country Songs charts in 1976. This was included on an album of the same name for Farr Records. Due to the song's success, Bresh was nominated by the Academy of Country Music as Top New Male Vocalist that year.[4]

Bresh recorded two albums for ABC Records as well: Kicked Back in 1977 and Portrait a year later, both produced by Jimmy Bowen. Cash Box magazine reviewed Kicked Back favorably, saying that Bresh had "[a] perfectly mellow voice and vital tracks with excellent material and interpretation".[5] Record World magazine published a positive review of Portrait, calling the album "versatile" and noting the variety of musical influences.[6] Included on Portrait was a cover of "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" which featured Bresh performing thirteen different impersonations.

Bresh hosted a weekly television variety show of his own creation, Nashville Swing, was a regular on The Merv Griffin Show and Dinah!,[7] 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.[8]

Bresh was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2021. He died in Nashville on May 23, 2022, at the age of 74.[9]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbumLabelComment
1976Homemade LoveFarr Records – FL-1000
1977Kicked BackABC Dot – DO-2084
1978PortraitABC Records – AB-1055
?Bresh and Brody Live!Double B Ent. 0051w/ Lane Brody
1993Son Of A Guitar Pickin' ManBelle Meade Records – BMCD-193
?Next GenerationBelle Meade Records – BMCD-494
1992, 1993Live & Pickin'!Belle Meade Records – BMCD-195, DCM Digital Records – DCM100
ca 1995The World's Greatest Guitar Pickin' Entertainer In The WorldLegend LR-109live album, enhanced reissue of BMCD-195, feat. Buster B. Jones
1999Wires To The WoodDCM Digital Records – DCM101
2001Guts & Steel [Groovemasters vol. 5]Solid Air Records – SACD2025w/ Buster B. Jones
2002Down & Not Too DirtyBresh Entertainment?
2011?@ Home?
ca 2013?Guitar Boy?
2018?Time?

Singles

YearSingleUS Country[10] US AC[11] Album
1976"Homemade Love"6Homemade Love
"Sad Country Love Song"1737
"Hey Daisy (Where Have All the Good Times Gone)"33
1977"Until I Met You"57Kicked Back
"That Old Cold Shoulder"48
1978"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"78Portrait
"Ways of a Woman in Love"74
"First Encounter of a Close Kind"84singles only
1982"When It Comes to Love" (with Lane Brody)77
1983"I'd Love You to Want Me"
"Somebody Like You"

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461?c=search&first=&last=Bresh Family Tree Legends
  2. Web site: Thom Bresh biography . AllMusic . November 2, 2019.
  3. Book: Whitburn, Joel. 2013. Top Pop Singles 1955-2012. 14th. Record Research Inc.. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. 978-0-89820-205-2. 201.
  4. News: New career stuns stuntman . . June 25, 1976 . November 2, 2019 . 12.
  5. Country Singles Reviews/Album Reviews . Cash Box . 48 . July 2, 1977.
  6. Country album picks . Record World . 74 . April 29, 1978.
  7. News: Tom Brest [sic] visits Huntingburg ]. The Herald . June 19, 1978 . November 2, 2019 . 22.
  8. http://www.bresh.com/bio.html Thom Bresh's official biography
  9. Web site: Country Guitar Great & Top Showman Thom Bresh Passes . 25 May 2022 .
  10. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017. Record Research, Inc. 2017. 52. 978-0-89820-229-8.
  11. Adult Contemporary chart results . https://web.archive.org/web/20191102044755/https://www.billboard.com/music/tom-bresh/chart-history/ASI . dead . November 2, 2019 . Billboard . November 2, 2019.