tom waits

Singer-songwriter and musician, Tom Waits sound is characterized by his experimental incorporation of blues, jazz, vaudeville, and his trademark growl that critic Daniel Durchholz once described as sounding like “it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car.”

Starting out as a teenager in the San Diego folk scene, Waits career began working as a songwriter in the 1970’s, during which time he recorded the materials later released on The Early Years and The Early Years, Vol. 2. His formal recording debut came with his signing to Asylum. Waits, recognized for being able to paint vivid images with his lyrics which often portray sordid souls and settings, is mostly known for covers of his ballads by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, and Rod Stewart. His 80’s discography became more theatrical with his journey into acting and composing.