Next up in our “get to know us” series is the man, the myth, the legend…TOM MAY. Here’s his story in his own words:
Tom May’s interest in music began just after his birth with his first breathing cry, electrifying the room with its crystal clarity. “That boy is going to be musical,” said his mother, in sweaty relief. His father just couldn’t get over how ugly the boy was.
Years passed and Tom’s musicality grew with each instrument he tried to play. “That boy is going to be musical” was his mother’s mantra. His father continued to wonder at his son’s lack of beauty, although he no longer had permission to say it out loud. Blissfully unaware of this, Tom continued to make music in one form or another. His voice continued to grow. The viola and string bass made appearances to him and he grasped the opportunities and ran for a while. During and after several family moves, vocal training and choirs became his immediate focus. Creeping along insidiously was an interest in ukulele and guitar—now a proven life-long interest. Everywhere he sang or played, his mother would say, “That boy is going to be musical.” His father would take a breath to answer and receive a quieting blow.
Years passed and Tom decided to be a singer. An opera singer! He found an amazing vocal instructor who worked diligently with him (Tom thanks Sara Kittle from the bottom of his heart!). After that year, Tom auditioned for, and actually was accepted to, the IU School of Music. (He did not play his guitar at the audition as James Taylor was not accepted repertoire.) His mother said, “That boy IS going to be musical.” His dad just hoped Tom would finally get out of the house, and to this end, began putting Tom’s ugly stuff out in the barn.
A couple of vocal years passed and Tom realized that he would never be an opera singer for anybody but himself (to his father’s relief), and began his studies in Stringed Instrument Technology. At IU, by golly. It was cool. It was really cool. Tom began entertaining ideas of becoming an actual repairman. As it turns out, Paige’s Music gave him a chance to do just that. Tom has been repairing violin family instruments professionally in the violin shop of Paige’s’ Music since 1985, and that is awesomely cool! He received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Music and Stringed Instrument Repair Technology from Indiana University in the spring of 1985, and began his illustrious career at Paige’s the following July. Tom began playing the bass again and it was cool. It was really, really cool. It was time to bloom! His mother’s eyes just sparkled, and glowered at his dad. Tom’s expansion of his hard-earned skills increased with additional training in bow-making from the University of New Hampshire, stringed instrument repair in the shop of Peter Horn and Son, and more. Outside of his repair career, he still enjoys singing, playing the bass and guitar, writing and arranging music and song-leading in his church. He is proud to have made his mother’s prophecy come alive. His father, a beautiful person in his own right, can finally relax, as Tom has a house where he can put all his stuff and a mirror to keep the ugly to a dull roar!
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