Tom Willett is an American musician, author and entertainment industry executive. He toured and recorded extensively as a bass player during the 1960s and 1970s, served as booking agent and manager for numerous artists in the 1980s, and worked as an artist and repertoire and marketing executive in the 1990s. In the 2000s he co-founded a fully accredited music school for college-aged musicians and entrepreneurs.

Touring and recording bands

Born in Portsmouth, Virginia

Portsmouth, Virginia

Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...

, Willett moved with his family to the Washington, DC suburbs in the mid-1960s. While attending Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County, VA, he played bass with DC-area Garage Rockers the Keggs, the Uncalled Four, and the Nightcrawlers, which also featured Gerry Beckley, later of the best-selling British ex-pat band, America

America (band)

America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...

.

While completing coursework for a B.A. in Psychology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, Willett toured with Brit Rock-Psychedelic outfit Orange, featuring Danny Brubeck, son of legendary Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck

David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...

, on drums.

After graduation in 1972, Willett recorded and toured with the Sons of Thunder

Sons of Thunder

Sons of Thunder is a television show that ran from March to April 1999 on CBS. It was a spin-off of Walker, Texas Ranger.-Pilot:The two-hour pilot, Sons of Thunder, was shown as episode 4.24 of Walker...

, founded by Blaine Smith in 1968 and the first U.S. Rock act to record a contemporary Gospel album for a major label (Till the Whole World Knows, Zondervan). He also played bass for D.C. Folk-Rocker Scott Wesley Brown

Scott Wesley Brown

Scott Wesley Brown is an American CCM singer and songwriter.Brown recorded for Sparrow Records for much of his career, recording more than 20 albums; his songs have been covered by Petra, Pat Boone, Bruce Carroll, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, and others...

.

Early not-for-profit work

While pursuing post-graduate studies in the mid-1970s at a commune in the Maryland suburbs, Willett helped launch both the Cornerstone Study Center (Jim and Lorraine Hiskey) and the C.S. Lewis Institute

C.S. Lewis Institute

The C.S. Lewis Institute is an organization founded in 1976. According to their website, their mission statement is "to develop disciples who will articulate, defend, and live their faith in Christ in personal and public life."...

 (James Houston, John R.W. Stott, J. I. Packer).http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/ He and Santa Rosa, CA-native Julie Atterbury where married in 1978.

Booking and artist management

Willett returned to the music industry in 1979 when he launched the Chanan Agency to handle booking and management for DC-area talent including musician/author Brian McLaren

Brian McLaren

Brian D. McLaren is a prominent, controversial evangelical pastor. He was recognized as one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America" in 2005, and is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland.-Biography:Born in 1956, Brian McLaren...

 http://www.brianmclaren.net/ and college-circuit favorites, Jim and Kim Thomas (the Carpenter’s Tools, Say-So).http://www.reverbnation.com/ebsayso

In 1980, Willett joined Dharma Artist Agency http://books.google.com/books?id=wyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT54&lpg=PT54&dq=Dharma+Artist+Agency&source=bl&ots=ce7-eCsTj6&sig=faKdv0je1_aKGVjXaf3doAgEYWc&hl=en&ei=zZ_eTbHlPKHu0gGtjsmtAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Dharma%20Artist%20Agency&f=false in Nashville, TN where he served as booking agent for a number of leading artists, including Leon Patillo

Leon Patillo

Leon Patillo is an American Contemporary Christian singer and evangelist.-Career:Patillo's first musical endeavor was with the group Creation, later called Leon's Creation. Formed in the late 1960s, Creation was a funk group similar in style and composition to Sly & the Family Stone; they were...

 (Santana), Maria Muldaur

Maria Muldaur

Maria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...

, and Richie Furay

Richie Furay

Richie Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner...

 (Buffalo Springfield, Poco). He later formed Tom Willett Artist Management to provide career direction for John Fischer

John Fischer (Christian musician)

John Fischer is a Christian author, singer, songwriter, and speaker. He is one of the credited founders of Jesus music and was a Senior Writer with PurposeDrivenLife.com.-Personal:...

 (Word/A&M), Scott Wesley Brown (Sparrow/EMI), and Marty McCall (MCA Songbird).

Artist and repertoire work in Los Angeles

In 1984, Willett was asked to become executive director of artists and repertoire in Los Angeles for ABC’s Word Records

Word Records

Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...

, the world's largest distributor of inspirational music and books. Responsible for signing new artists and overseeing production, Willett managed the creation of more than 50 award-winning CDs and videos, including Grammy and Dove Award winning records by Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips

Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...

, The Choir, Dion DiMucci

Dion DiMucci

Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....

, Philip Bailey

Philip Bailey

Philip Irvin Bailey is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor, best known as one of the longtime members of Earth, Wind & Fire. Together with Verdine White, B. David Whitworth, and Ralph Johnson he forms the heart of the current EWF line-up on...

 (Earth, Wind & Fire), Randy Stonehill

Randy Stonehill

Randall Evan "Randy" Stonehill is an American singer-songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music". His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on...

 and Bryan Duncan

Bryan Duncan

Bryan Duncan is an American CCM musician. he is best known for his role in the Sweet Comfort Band and subsequent solo career that, combined, spanned more than twenty-five years...

.

While in L.A., Willett founded What? Records

What? Records

What? Records was a short-lived record label started by Word Records and A&M Records, intended to focus on creative and unusual rock and roll records with spiritual messages....

, a boutique label marketed and distributed by A&M Records

A&M Records

A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...

. Working with T Bone Burnett, David Miner, John Carter and Lynn Nichols

Lynn Nichols

Lynn Arthur Nichols is an American songwriter, producer, and musician from New York who now resides in Nashville, Tennessee.In 1977, Nichols was a member of the Phil Keaggy Band, with Phil Madeira, Terry Andersen and Dan Cunningham. The band released one album together, entitled Emerging...

, What? released four critically acclaimed albums: IDeoLa’s ‘’Tribal Opera,’’ Tonio K.’s ‘’Romeo Unchained’’ and ‘’Notes from the Lost Civilization,’’ and Dave Perkins’ ‘’The Innocence.’’

Willett’s A&R work saw him in the studio with such notables as T Bone Burnett, Phil Ramone

Phil Ramone

Phil Ramone is a South-African violinist, composer, recording engineer, and record producer.-Biography:As a young child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and performing for Queen Elizabeth II at age ten...

, Charlie Peacock

Charlie Peacock

Charlie Peacock is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, record producer, session musician and author. While growing up in California Peacock was inspired by John Coltrane and began playing the piano. After completing his education, Peacock formed a band and began a career as a professional...

, Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...

, Little Richard

Little Richard

Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...

, Tchad Blake

Tchad Blake

Tchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, November 2nd, Travis, Marike...

, Bill Schnee and Doug Sax.

Marketing, product management and career development

In 1990, Willett and Epic Record’s Roger Klein brokered a new marketing and distribution relationship for Word with Epic Records

Epic Records

Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 and Sony Music Entertainment. After relocating to New York, he, along with Dan Beck (Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, Indigo Girls, Sade), coordinated the release and marketing of over 250 albums that generated more than $50,000,000 in revenues. While serving as Vice President of Marketing for Word/Epic, Willett and his team spear-headed international marketing campaigns for such artists as Al Green

Al Green

Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...

, Deniece Williams

Deniece Williams

June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...

, Shirley Caesar

Shirley Caesar

Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...

, Phil Keaggy

Phil Keaggy

Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...

, Soul Mission, Sandi Patty

Sandi Patty

Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty is an American Christian music singer. For many years she was known as Sandi Patti. She has been dubbed "The Voice" by critics, because of her wide range and flexibility.-Early life:...

, Petra

Petra

Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...

, and Point of Grace

Point of Grace

Point of Grace is an all-female Contemporary Christian music group. The trio consists of Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino. The group started out as a quartet in 1991, with original members Breen and Jones, as well as Terry Jones and Heather Payne...

. Through their efforts, Word/Epic artists found expanded audiences, while leading mainstream personalities such as Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...

, Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...

 and Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor

Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...

 crossed back over into the Gospel marketplace.

In 1995 Willett moved to Virginia, and later, Florida, to pursue writing and independent marketing. He published more than 50 articles in music and arts journals while helping manage the literary estate of Dr. Richard C. Halverson

Richard C. Halverson

The Reverend Richard Christian Halverson, D.D., , was born in Pingree, North Dakota. He attended Valley City State Teacher College in Valley City, North Dakota, before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1939, participating in the Wheaton College Men's...

, former Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. With Beck, he formed ADi, a property development and marketing organization focused on creating unique entertainment, character and lifestyle properties. In conjunction with Peacock Papers, Adi’s products found distribution in Hallmark and other leading card and gift shops. Their recording and touring project, The American Soul and Rock & Roll Choir, went on to tour performing arts centers throughout the U.S. Willett and Beck later co-managed Hip-Hop duo, Scratch Track

Scratch Track

Scratch Track is best described as an Acoustic Hip-Hop Soul band that formed in Tennessee in 2000. The group is composed of Vocalist/Beatboxer DJ Lee and Guitarist Jason Hamlin. Scratch Track is currently based out of Kansas City, MO...

, and artist/writer/filmmaker, Will Gray.

During this period, Willett also founded Creative Development Network, providing career support to Artist/Producer T Bone Burnett (Counting Crows, Wallflowers), recording artist Sam Phillips (Virgin, Nonesuch), and Internet sensation, Boondogs, the first band signed to a major recording contract based solely on consumer voting during the first wave of downloadable .mp3s.

Music industry educator and mentor

In 2000, Willett was asked to spearhead a feasibility study for the creation of a fully accredited, 4-month-long off-campus study experience for college students interested in careers in the music industry. In conjunction with CCCU

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is an organization designed to help primarily Protestant and evangelical Christian institutions of higher education cooperate and communicate with one another...

’s Dr. Richard Gathro and a committee of college presidents, deans and music department chairs, he created a business plan and curriculum that offered developing artists classes and hands-on experience in songwriting, recording and performance, while training young entrepreneurs in artist management, booking, publishing, record company operations and marketing. Established on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts in the Fall of 2001, Willett and the faculty and staff of the Contemporary Music Center have helped launch the careers of more than 600 students from nearly 100 colleges and universities.

Willett’s work has been cited in ‘’Rolling Stone,’’ ‘’Billboard,’’ ‘’Musician,’’ ‘’The L.A. Times,’’ ‘’Entertainment Weekly,’’ ‘’CMJ’’ and the ‘’Hollywood Reporter,’’ while his articles encouraging excellence in music making and marketing have appeared in ‘’Image,’’ ‘’The Wittenburg Door,’’ ‘’CCM,’’ ‘’Release,’’ ‘’The Other Side’’ and ‘’Prism.’’

Selected credits

Agent, Manager, Career Development

• Boondogs
• Scott Wesley Brown
  Scott Wesley Brown
  Scott Wesley Brown is an American CCM singer and songwriter.Brown recorded for Sparrow Records for much of his career, recording more than 20 albums; his songs have been covered by Petra, Pat Boone, Bruce Carroll, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, and others...
  
  
• T Bone Burnett
• Gary Chapman
  Gary Chapman (musician)
  Gary Chapman is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and former television talk show host.-Early life and music career:...
  
  
• Jamie Owens Collins
• John Fischer
  John Fischer (Christian musician)
  John Fischer is a Christian author, singer, songwriter, and speaker. He is one of the credited founders of Jesus music and was a Senior Writer with PurposeDrivenLife.com.-Personal:...
  
  
• Richie Furay
  Richie Furay
  Richie Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner...
  
  
• Marty McCall and Fireworks
• Brian McLaren
  Brian McLaren
  Brian D. McLaren is a prominent, controversial evangelical pastor. He was recognized as one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America" in 2005, and is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland.-Biography:Born in 1956, Brian McLaren...
  
  
• Maria Muldaur
  Maria Muldaur
  Maria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...
  
  
• Leon Patillo
  Leon Patillo
  Leon Patillo is an American Contemporary Christian singer and evangelist.-Career:Patillo's first musical endeavor was with the group Creation, later called Leon's Creation. Formed in the late 1960s, Creation was a funk group similar in style and composition to Sly & the Family Stone; they were...
  
  
• Sam Phillips
  Sam Phillips
  Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
  
  
• Jim and Kim Thomas
• John and VicciJo Witty

Executive producer and A&R

• Philip Bailey, The Wonders of His Love, A&M
• Philip Bailey, Triumph, A&M (Grammy)
• The Choir, Diamonds and Rain, Word
• The Choir, Chase the Kangaroo, Word
• The Choir, Wide-Eyed Wonder, Word
• The Choir, Circle Slide, Word/Epic
• Bruce Cockburn, Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, Word
• Dion, Seasons, Word
• Dion, Kingdom in the Streets, Word/A&M
• Dion, Velvet & Steel, Word/A&M
• Bryan Duncan, Anonymous Confessions…, Word
• Bryan Duncan, Mercy, Epic
• John Fischer, Between the Answers, Word
• John Fischer, Casual Crimes, Word
• Mark Heard (iDeoLa), Tribal Opera, What?/A&M
• Benny Hester, Benny from Here, Word
• Benny Hester, Through the Window, Word
• Leon Patillo, I'll Never Stop Loving You, Word
• Leon Patillo, The Sky's the Limit, Word
• Leon Patillo, Love Around the World, Word
• Sam (Leslie) Phillips, Dancing with Danger, Word
• Sam (Leslie) Phillips, Black and White in a Grey World, Word
• Sam (Leslie) Phillips, The Turning, Word/A&M
• Sam (Leslie) Phillips, Recollection, Word
• Rhythm House, (self-titled), Word
• Randy Stonehill, Celebrate This Heartbeat, Word
• Randy Stonehill, Love Beyond Reason, Word
• Randy Stonehill, Wild Frontier, Word
• Randy Stonehill, Can't Buy a Miracle, Word
• Randy Stonehill, Return to Paradise, Word/A&M
• Tonio K., Romeo Unchained, What?/A&M
• Tonio K., Notes from the Lost Civilization, What?/A&M
• Tonio K., Olé, Gadfly
• Various Artists, Adventures in the Land of Big Beats & Happy Feets
• Various Artists, Twelve New Faces
• Various Artists, Voices

Marketing

• Acappella, Acappella America, Epic
• Maia Amada, Maia Amada, Epic
• Anointed, Spiritual Love Affair, Epic (Dove)
• Philip Bailey, Family Affair, Epic
• Philip Bailey, Best of…, Epic
• Helen Baylor, Highly Recommended, Epic
• Helen Baylor, Look A Little Closer, Epic
• Helen Baylor, Start All Over, Epic (Dove)
• Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Live with Friends, Epic
• Rev. Milton Brunson and…, Through God's Eyes, Epic (Grammy)
• Shirley Caesar, Stand Still, Epic (Grammy)
• Shirley Caesar, He's Working It Out For You, Epic (Grammy, Dove)
• Glen Campbell, Favorite Hymns, Epic
• Bruce Carroll, Walk On, Epic (Dove)
• The Choir, Circle Slide, Epic
• Bruce Cockburn, Christmas, Columbia
• Bruce Cockburn, Dart to the Heart, Columbia
• Jesse Dixon, I Know What Prayer Can Do, Epic
• O'Landa Draper and the Associates, Above and Beyond, Epic
• Bryan Duncan, Mercy, Epic
• Bryan Duncan, Slow Revival, Epic
• First Call, Human Song, Epic
• First Call, Sacred Journey, Epic
• The Florida Boys, A Taste of Heaven, Epic
• Al Green, One in a Million, Epic
• Al Green, Love Is Reality, Epic
• Guardian, Fire & Love, Epic
• Guardian, Miracle Mile, Epic
• Guardian, Swing Swang Swung, Epic
• Kurt Kaiser, The Lost Art of Listening, Epic
• Phil Keaggy, Beyond Nature, Epic (Dove)
• Phil Keaggy, Blue (Crimson and Blue), Epic
• Garrison Keillor and the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, Sony
• Wynton Marsalis, In This House, Columbia
• Babbie Mason, World of Difference, Epic
• MidSouth, Lessons of Life, Epic
• Mighty Clouds of Joy, Sing and Shout, Epic
• Mighty Clouds of Joy, Pray for Me, Epic (Grammy)
• Cindy Morgan, Real Life, Epic (Dove)
• Michael Omartian, The Race, Epic
• Sandi Patty, Another Time, Another Place, Epic (Grammy, Dove, Gold)
• Sandi Patty, Finest Moments, Epic (Gold)
• Sandi Patty, Le Voyage, Epic (Dove)
• Sandi Patty, Find It On the Wings, Epic (Dove)
• Petra, Unseen Power, Epic (Grammy)
• Petra, Wake-Up Call, Epic (Grammy, Dove)
• Petra, No Doubt, Epic (Dove)
• Point of Grace, The Whole Truth, Epic (Dove, Gold)
• Stephen Soles, Walk by Love, Word
• Soul Mission, Soul Mission, Epic
• Russ Taff, Under Their Influence, Vol. 1, Epic (Grammy)
• The Whites, Doin' It by the Book, Epic
• Deniece Williams, Lullabies to Dreamland, Epic