Tommy Z is a contemporary blues/rock artist and radio host from Buffalo, NY who has been described as a “blues treasure” (Jim Santella, Buffalo News), and “one of WNY’s best kept secrets” (Sarah French, Blues Matters Magazine). He is a guitar-driven, electric blues-based stylist onstage, but in the studio composes a variety of music. Experienced and versed in traditional blues, jazz, funk and rock styles, he is an artist who puts that soulful blues feeling into all the different music he performs or creates. His work and talent has been recognized with numerous awards over the years, including being voted Top Blues Vocalist in Western New York 2003/2004/2006, Top Blues Guitarist 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006 and his band has won the Top Blues/Crossover Blues Band categories 1994, 2005, 2006, and was honored with the Muddy Waters Award for “Artist of the Year” by the Blues Society of WNY in 2004 and 2024. In 2007 Tommy was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, recognizing him alongside some of the best talent come out of WNY (including Rick James, The Goo Goo Dolls, Billy Sheehan, etc.). He has had the opportunity to perform, write, record and/or co-bill with some of the world’s top artists in the blues/rock genre including: B.B. King (and daughter Shirley), Buddy Guy (2023 Farewell Tour guest), Tom Hambridge, Johnny Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, Jeff Healey, Colin James, Tinsley Ellis, Roomful of Blues, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Peter Frampton, Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Carey Bell, John Mayall, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tommy Castro, Duke Robillard, Elvin Bishop and many more. His first initiation to national touring was backing up Grammy-winning blues pianist Pinetop Perkins (Muddy Waters Band), who is credited as indirectly influencing rock-n-roll itself via Ike Turner (Rocket 88). Tommy has come a long way from playing the top bars and music venues in Buffalo to being an international and US festival headliner.