Join us for our weekly “Rock Reflections,” a series celebrating Trinity alumni. From 48 states to countries worldwide, our graduates are making an impact, and we'll share their stories on Trinity's website and social media.
This week's profile is about Tomi Martin '77
Taylor Swift. Prince. Miley Cyrus. Outkast. Madonna. Stevie Nicks. John Legend. Justin Bieber. Michael Jackson. The Indigo Girls. Toni Braxton. En Vogue. TLC. Mick Jagger. T Pain.
These are the names of just some of the artists Tomi Martin ’77 has worked with as a multi-platinum guitarist. He’s highly prized for his skills in the studio and on stage.
“If you’ve heard a hit song in the past 30 years, there’s a good chance I worked on it,” Tomi said.
The son of a preacher, Tomi grew up near 23rd and Kentucky streets. He attended Brandeis Elementary School and came to Trinity in 1974 after Flaget High School in the West End closed.
“My parents wanted me to go to a private, Catholic school,” Tomi said. “My friend Marc Beasley’s mom told my mom about Trinity. We went and talked with the staff and were impressed. I took the bus to school every day from the West End. Marc and I are still friends.”
Tomi remembers daily life at Trinity to be methodical and structured.
“I remember feeling really safe and comfortable after I got to know people,” he said. “Unfortunately, during a time of school desegregation and the start of mandatory busing in Louisville, making the transition was tough at first, but the Trinity administration made it clear that every student was welcome, regardless of race or demographics, and any type of discrimination was not going to be tolerated. Trinity had a lot to offer me. I keep in touch with my Trinity friends and my West End friends. I also earned my third-degree blackbelt in taekwondo at the Flying Tiger studio across the street from Trinity, and I still know guys from there.”
Tomi got involved with Trinity’s Drama Club, which was moderated by veteran teachers and future Hall of Fame members Billy Bradford H’03 and Rev. Ted Sans H’05. Mr. Bradford became one of Tomi’s favorite teachers.
“He saw something in me I didn’t see,” Tomi said. “He brought out talent I didn’t know I had. He would just stick me into plays and have me learn. I loved it.”
Other teachers Tomi admired are Tom Dubay H’94, Margaret Pierce, Brother Charles Cully and Brother Robert Arrowsmith.
‘Music kept calling’
Like generations of teenagers, Tomi grew up listening to the radio. The guitar, a gift from his uncle, was never far from Tomi’s reach. He played at his father’s church and at neighborhood backyard parties. There was also a piano in Tomi’s home. He listened to and performed gospel, rock, soul and jazz, with each genre planting roots in his soul.
When Tomi started high school at Flaget, he joined the marching band and was assigned the saxophone. That quickly changed.
“I remember watching The Beatles’ movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and seeing all those girls chase them down the street,” Tom said, laughing. “I decided I needed to play guitar and that I wanted to be a professional musician. I taught myself to play by ear. I still don’t read music. I slept with that guitar.”
Tomi’s musical influences include Jimi Hendrix, Michael Sembello, Curtis Mayfield and Ernie Isley from The Isley Brothers.
Tomi got a gig as a guitar player for the Louisville-based band The Deboe Brothers. People in the music business started to hear Tomi. But fame would have to wait.
After graduating from Trinity in 1977, Tomi attended the University of Louisville where he studied drama for three years and did odd jobs to get by, including as a corrections officer.
“Music kept calling,” Tomi said. “I’d been a musician and a dancer, and I loved it.”
Opportunity knocked when he was asked to cover for a member of The Gap Band.
“I was hooked,” Tomi said. “I started playing at places around town like Joe’s Palm Room, Armando’s Palace, the Belvedere, Shawnee and Iroquois parks, and with Hazel Miller. We played every cookout and backyard party around. The plan was to move to LA for a year, then London and then never come back.”
Liftoff
In 1986, Tomi left Louisville to play in a band with friends. One of the band members’ cousins was a No. 1 DJ in Atlanta, Georgia, which was a rising star in the music scene. With the DJ’s encouragement, the band relocated to the Peach State. Atlanta studios were producing top indie rock, urban, pop and rock hits.
Tomi got his big break in the business in the late 1980s. A friend suggested he audition for the artist Pebbles. He got the job and went on tour with her.
That experience led to a wildly successful career as a recording session player during the 1990s. As word got out about Tomi’s talent, artists started calling him to join their tour and perform.
According to tomimartin.com:
“Some club gigs started people talking, the local music press writing and Tomi quickly started getting asked to play recording sessions and put bands together to back up new artists on label showcases. Without anyone realizing it, this was the foundation of one of his most valuable skills: the ability to go in the studio and play on the record then get on stage and play the record live with seamless perfection.”
Tomi’s last major tour was with New Edition more than two years ago. He also was Justin Bieber’s musical director for three years. He’s also served as musical director for concert tours, television specials and feature film projects. He takes the record from the studio and rehearses with the musicians to bring it to life on the stage or screen.
Tomi also married a musician, Indianapolis native Traci Hale, who has written many hit songs. They met when she contacted him to request that he fill in for a singer on a record. They went their separate ways but reconnected 10 years later and started dating. They’ve been married for nine years.
Tomi has two sons, Joey Effinger and Seven Martin. His daughter, Wildflower Martin, passed away in 2014.
“She was a better guitar player than I’ll ever be,” Tomi said.
One of Tomi’s favorite music memories was playing guitar in TLC’s band at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“My guitar tech was messing with me on stage while I was playing,” Tomi said. “He said, ‘Look over there.’ I look over and I see this little, short guy with a cane. It’s Prince. He asked me if he could borrow a guitar and sit in on ‘No Scrubs,’ his favorite TLC song. So, I’m playing and he’s sitting behind me and nobody can see him until he stands up. Chilli from TLC caught my eye and I kind of looked down and then she looked down and saw Prince playing guitar. Her eyes lit up. That guitar I let him use hasn’t been out of the case since then.”
Rock on
Trinity is still in Tomi’s heart.
“One thing Trinity taught me was structure and that you have to plan,” Tomi said. “Between Trinity and my taekwondo teacher, I learned that you have to listen a lot, and that will take you where you need to be. We paid attention to each other at Trinity. Teachers taught me things about life that I’ve used since those days. Things like pride and friendship.”
“I got a brotherhood at Trinity,” he continued. “Trinity was there for me. It’s a thing among the friends I have in Kentucky. There are five of us that are still in touch with each other, and the binding unit was Trinity.”
Learn more about Tomi at tomimartin.com.
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