Tom Keifer
Encyclopedia
Carl Thomas Keifer is an American vocalist for the band Cinderella
.
Keifer joined his first rock band while in junior high school. He soon learned to play the electric guitar. The young musician struggled with drug and alcohol abuse during this time, and considered dropping out of school to pursue a music career. However, his mother Adrienne bribed her son to stay in school by promising him a Gibson
Les Paul
guitar upon graduation. Keifer graduated and received the coveted instrument. After graduating Keifer played guitar in bands such as Saints in Hell, Telapath, and Diamonds.
band, Cinderella
with good friend and bassist Eric Brittingham, whom he met on Halloween night in 1980 in a bar bathroom, and also who had been in Saints in Hell. Despite being shy, Keifer took on the role of lead singer because they could not find anyone they liked to sing for the band. In articles, Keifer has said, "I don't feel comfortable when I'm up there singing and not playing guitar. I feel naked when it's just me and the microphone."
in 1985, at the Empire Rock Club
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Bon Jovi has been quoted as saying "I saw Tommy Keifer onstage delivering some pretty nifty, growling vocals. Then he whipped out this Les Paul and proceeded to lay into some astounding sounds. This guy struck me as a star right then and there." Keifer and company experienced much success with their albums, Night Songs
, Long Cold Winter
, and Heartbreak Station
. Keifer enjoyed the reputation of being a prolific songwriter with hits such as "Shake Me", '"Nobody’s Fool", "Gypsy Road", "Don’t Know What You Got", "Coming Home", "Shelter Me", and "Heartbreak Station". He also enjoyed spending time with his wife, Emily, whom he had married in 1987 after years of dating. She also designed the band's unique logo and often accompanied her husband on tour.
Keifer continued to have surgery to remove nodules on his vocal cords. He also battled depression. He was forced to learn how to sing again because of the paralysis of his left cord, but he eventually began working on material for a solo album. He and Emily divorced, and he settled in Nashville
, Tennessee
, where he continued to work on his solo album. The album was put on hold after Cinderella reunited in 1997 and toured in 1998. They signed with Sony
records, but were dropped a few years later. They released a greatest hits album, Once upon a… and a live album, Live at the Key Club
. Cinderella toured the United States in 2000 and again in 2002.
. He also appeared on an episode of Extreme Makeover
, where he helped a fan write a song. Keifer has finished his solo album, and it was initially planned to be released in early 2006. Cinderella
was the headliner of the 2005 Rock Never Stops Tour
.
Keifer recently said that his solo album will be released shortly, and a new album from Cinderella is possible somewhere down the road, though not immediately.
Cinderella had planned to tour in 2008 with Warrant
, Lynch Mob
, and Lynam
. Unfortunately the tour had to be postponed after Keifer's left vocal cord hemorrhaged again, thereby making it impossible for him to sing in the immediate future.
"I thought that I was there in the summer of 2008 for the tour for the States here, and we ended up having to cancel that tour because I re-injured my voice. Since then I've been working on trying to get it strong again, which I am glad to say it's very strong now and we're looking to be back out on the road in 2010."
When asked about his solo record, (as of April 2010) he said "It’s pretty much finished. I’m booking a mastering date, probably in May sometime, before we hit the road for the summer. Then I will be looking for a label for it". When asked about the possibility of a new Cinderella record, Tom said it is probable but the band would need to be all in for it, and the record label would need to be for it.
Cinderella (band)
Cinderella is an American heavy metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They emerged in the mid-1980s with a series of multi-platinum albums and hit singles whose music videos received heavy MTV rotation. They were famous for being a glam metal band, but then shifted over towards a more hard...
.
Early life
Keifer grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at a young age. Keifer soon fell in love with the blues and was heavily influenced by this kind of music.Keifer joined his first rock band while in junior high school. He soon learned to play the electric guitar. The young musician struggled with drug and alcohol abuse during this time, and considered dropping out of school to pursue a music career. However, his mother Adrienne bribed her son to stay in school by promising him a Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitar upon graduation. Keifer graduated and received the coveted instrument. After graduating Keifer played guitar in bands such as Saints in Hell, Telapath, and Diamonds.
Early career
Soon, Keifer conquered his addictions, and began to focus on a career as a musician. He had started writing original material. He also found financial support by walking race horses at tracks and delivering film to developing outlets. Keifer came closer to his dream of being a successful artist by forming the hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band, Cinderella
Cinderella (band)
Cinderella is an American heavy metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They emerged in the mid-1980s with a series of multi-platinum albums and hit singles whose music videos received heavy MTV rotation. They were famous for being a glam metal band, but then shifted over towards a more hard...
with good friend and bassist Eric Brittingham, whom he met on Halloween night in 1980 in a bar bathroom, and also who had been in Saints in Hell. Despite being shy, Keifer took on the role of lead singer because they could not find anyone they liked to sing for the band. In articles, Keifer has said, "I don't feel comfortable when I'm up there singing and not playing guitar. I feel naked when it's just me and the microphone."
Discovery
Cinderella was discovered by Jon Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
in 1985, at the Empire Rock Club
Empire Rock Club
Empire Rock Club was a live music venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and an important influence on the 1980s east coast glam metal music scene.-History:...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Bon Jovi has been quoted as saying "I saw Tommy Keifer onstage delivering some pretty nifty, growling vocals. Then he whipped out this Les Paul and proceeded to lay into some astounding sounds. This guy struck me as a star right then and there." Keifer and company experienced much success with their albums, Night Songs
Night Songs
Night Songs is Cinderella's debut album, released in 1986 through Mercury Records in America and Vertigo Records in Europe. It sold several million copies due to a combination of their breakthrough single "Nobody's Fool", MTV airplay, and an opening slot on labelmates Bon Jovi's tour, in support of...
, Long Cold Winter
Long Cold Winter
Long Cold Winter is Cinderella's second studio album, released in 1988 through Mercury Records. It reached #10 in the US and became double-platinum for shipping 2 million copies in the US by the end of the year, just as their debut album Night Songs had done earlier. It was later certified triple...
, and Heartbreak Station
Heartbreak Station
Heartbreak Station is Cinderella's third studio album, released in 1990 through Mercury Records. It hit #19 in the US and went platinum for shipping a million albums there the same year...
. Keifer enjoyed the reputation of being a prolific songwriter with hits such as "Shake Me", '"Nobody’s Fool", "Gypsy Road", "Don’t Know What You Got", "Coming Home", "Shelter Me", and "Heartbreak Station". He also enjoyed spending time with his wife, Emily, whom he had married in 1987 after years of dating. She also designed the band's unique logo and often accompanied her husband on tour.
Complications
Unfortunately, after the Heartbreak Station tour Tom lost his voice. He underwent several operations to no avail. Eventually it was determined that he had nodules on his vocal cords and paralysis of the left cord. To make matters worse, his mother died of cancer. By 1994, Cinderella had managed to release their fourth album, Still Climbing, which received little attention. The band broke up in 1995.Keifer continued to have surgery to remove nodules on his vocal cords. He also battled depression. He was forced to learn how to sing again because of the paralysis of his left cord, but he eventually began working on material for a solo album. He and Emily divorced, and he settled in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, where he continued to work on his solo album. The album was put on hold after Cinderella reunited in 1997 and toured in 1998. They signed with Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
records, but were dropped a few years later. They released a greatest hits album, Once upon a… and a live album, Live at the Key Club
Live at the Key Club (Cinderella album)
Live at the Key Club was recorded live at the Key Club in Los Angeles.-Track listing:#The More Things Change - 4:27#Push Push - 2:36#Hot And Bothered - 5:27#Shelter Me - 4:54#Night Songs - 5:05 #Somebody Save Me - 3:21 #Heartbreak Station - 5:21...
. Cinderella toured the United States in 2000 and again in 2002.
Family
Today, Keifer is married to songwriter Savannah Snow. In February 2004, their first child, Jaidan, was born. Keifer has recently worked with country artist Andy GriggsAndy Griggs
Andrew Tyler "Andy" Griggs is an American country music artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records Nashville and a fourth for Montage Music Group...
. He also appeared on an episode of Extreme Makeover
Extreme Makeover
Extreme Makeover is a television program from ABC in which individuals volunteered to receive an extensive makeover in Hollywood. The show was created by television producer Howard Schultz. It first aired as a television special. It began airing in 2002 on Thursday nights at 8pm. A total of 55...
, where he helped a fan write a song. Keifer has finished his solo album, and it was initially planned to be released in early 2006. Cinderella
Cinderella (band)
Cinderella is an American heavy metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They emerged in the mid-1980s with a series of multi-platinum albums and hit singles whose music videos received heavy MTV rotation. They were famous for being a glam metal band, but then shifted over towards a more hard...
was the headliner of the 2005 Rock Never Stops Tour
Rock Never Stops Tour
Rock Never Stops is a U.S. rock tour that features various rock groups of the 1980s and 1990s. The tour started in 1998 with L.A. Guns, FireHouse, Slaughter, Warrant and Quiet Riot. However, the line-up has changed through the years adding various bands of the genre.-Tour lineup:The tour's lineup...
.
Recent tours
Keifer and Cinderella completed their 20th anniversary tour with fellow rock veterans Poison in 2006, who were also celebrating 20 years in the music business. The tour was a rousing success and has swiftly become one of the most successful tours of 2006, averaging about 20k people in attendance per night.Keifer recently said that his solo album will be released shortly, and a new album from Cinderella is possible somewhere down the road, though not immediately.
Cinderella had planned to tour in 2008 with Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
, Lynch Mob
Lynch Mob (band)
Lynch Mob is an American band featuring former Dokken guitarist George Lynch, who has been the band's only permanent member. The rest of the original band which featured Oni Logan, Anthony Esposito and Mick Brown have come and gone, and in some cases, come back.-1989 Formation:Lynch Mob was formed...
, and Lynam
Lynam
For other uses, see Lynam .Lynam, also spelled Lynham, is the Anglicised form of the Modern Irish surname, Ó Laigheanáin which can be roughly translated as someone of Laighean / Laidhghn descent...
. Unfortunately the tour had to be postponed after Keifer's left vocal cord hemorrhaged again, thereby making it impossible for him to sing in the immediate future.
Most recent interview
The most recent news from Tom Keifer on an interview last November 23, 2009 with Metalzone said they have never really gone away. They've been kind of on a break because he injured his voice a few years back and has been trying to rehabilitate his vocal chords and train it back to where he can be able to perform a Cinderella show again."I thought that I was there in the summer of 2008 for the tour for the States here, and we ended up having to cancel that tour because I re-injured my voice. Since then I've been working on trying to get it strong again, which I am glad to say it's very strong now and we're looking to be back out on the road in 2010."
When asked about his solo record, (as of April 2010) he said "It’s pretty much finished. I’m booking a mastering date, probably in May sometime, before we hit the road for the summer. Then I will be looking for a label for it". When asked about the possibility of a new Cinderella record, Tom said it is probable but the band would need to be all in for it, and the record label would need to be for it.