Tommy Wotruba playing at a campfire and surrounded by protective spirits. Photos by Jill Fisher.

Do you ever wonder how a traveling musician gets drawn into that peripatetic life? 

One can imagine how that comes about with a band that hits it big and gets gigs all over the country and even the world. 

But for those dedicated musicians like Duluth native Tommy Wotruba, the path is quite different. His story is a case in point of the early influences, the twists and turns of life and serendipitous happenings that guide a person to this music-oriented lifestyle.

As the youngest of six siblings, Tommy readily admits that he was the “baby” of the family and was probably somewhat coddled. He recalls that his earliest encounter with an instrument was when he was only eight years old. 

His father Joe, who worked nights at the Human Development Center, brought home a kid’s guitar for him that he had found in a dumpster. Though it had only four strings, his father tuned it up and taught him to play “Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley.” 

So the music seed was planted. As it turned out, someone had maliciously thrown the guitar away and the center wanted it back, so it had to be relinquished.

Just a few years later, while still in junior high Tommy connected with some older college kids who, like him, were into the punk rock scene. He just sang with them since he had no guitar. He recalls jamming in the basement of Emerson School (the “dungeon”). 

Tommy’s first band was The Blind Mice, with buddies Jeff, Howard and Dan. He describes it as a true garage band, playing songs they heard on the radio, by Iggy Pop, Hüsker Dü, Crass, et al. They also wrote original numbers. 

His sister Judy, two years older than him, shared her albums of that time and neighborhood friends turned him on to Led Zepplin, Bachman Turner Overdrive and others.

Meanwhile, Tommy’s older sister Mary was taking guitar lessons and he was envious! 

When he wanted to do the same, his parents told him he should use the money he made from his paper route to be able to do that. So he did, and after working all summer and saving all his money he signed up for lessons with Mark Bennett at the music and sound company SHOWPRO, then located on West Third Street in the West End (now called Lincoln Park) neighborhood. Tommy would take two buses across town from his home in Lester Park to get there. 

At that point, he was just 16, most interested in learning and renting an electric guitar. Alas, the only one SHOWPRO had hanging on the wall was a black Gibson Sonex-180 Deluxe; it had just been rented out to a girl that Tommy happened to know. And there wasn’t another to be had. 

So he ended up renting and learning to play an acoustic guitar instead. But he still wanted an electric guitar and ultimately saved up $200 toward that end. As it turned out, he years later he bought that same Sonex guitar from a friend who had gotten it from the girl who had rented it from SHOWPRO. 

Evidently he was meant to have it and still does!

Tommy admits he wasn’t a great student. When his father died, it threw him for a loop and any interest in school faded. He only needed to attend an additional half year of school but was ready to forget it and move on. However, friends and family convinced him to do what was necessary to graduate. 

By the time he was 30, he realized that it was a good to have gotten his diploma. He felt it was an achievement that taught him he could accomplish things through perseverance.

Tommy credits Mark Howley, currently lead singer with the band Virgil Caine, with taking him under his wing and teaching him electric guitar techniques. The two met when Howley was playing with The Centerville All Stars and Tommy was hired to run lighting for the band. 

Not only was Tommy exposed to the blues, but he picked up guitar tips from George Zissos. Fairly regularly he was invited to join them onstage for a couple of songs. Howley said that back then he hauled Tommy up to Isabella to “blues bootcamp” with Bob Bingham, which Tommy agreed greatly furthered his music education.

Tommy’s second band was The Tom Cats, which included bassist Barry Pirkola and drummer Dave Patterson. (Patterson came up with the band’s name.) By this time, he was into Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King and other blues, rock and funk bands. 

The Tom Cats debuted at The Reef Bar and the boys were HOT, winning every Battle of the Bands entered until they were told not to compete anymore!.

Howley says of Tommy: “he just got better and better.” 

After Howley returned from a Chicago sojourn, he said Tommy “was good to go.” Then Howley actually joined the Tom Cats; later Tommy joined Mark in his new band Virgil Caine. Mark stated he and Tommy wrote “One Fine Day” and “Planet of the Blues” together and explained that Tommy is particularly good at coming up with catchy hooks. He said he learned from Tommy. He used the word “economy” when speaking of Tommy’s playing and writing ability. 

In summing up Tommy’s talent, Mark said “his playing isn’t complicated, it’s just good!”

Because playing in a band wasn’t sustaining him financially, Tommy worked for years with his older brother Frank in a painting and renovation business. There was a lot of strain on his body, requiring surgery, first on one shoulder, then the other. Following his father’s last words to him, “Don’t forget to tie your work boots,” which meant to him continuing to be a “working man.” 

Then one day he tried lifting a tall, heavy ladder, injuring his back which totally laid him out — literally on his living room floor nearly unable to move. It was a critical life-changing event that happened right when COVID hit and there were no gigs lined up for Virgil Caine.

The following period was one of deep introspection about who he was, what he truly wanted to do with his life and how he could be healed. He used guided meditations and it was then that he remembered his mother’s last words to him from her death bed: “You are a good man, don’t let anybody ever tell you any different. And remember to pray.” 

Taking those words to heart, Tommy prayed for help and healing. Providentially, before resorting to back surgery or injections to relieve his pain, he was referred to a chiropractor who was just opening a new state-of-the-art clinic. Miraculously, he was fixed up; almost like new.

And with that, Tommy came to realize that being a full-time musician was his true path.

Tommy described using that time laying on his back in his living room to learn to finger-pick an acoustic guitar. He had seen Bob Bingham and Gordan Thorne play together fantastically in this manner and, though wondering whether he could master the style, he phoned them to ask for guidance. He said “through focus and perseverance, I absorbed the lessons and learned the technique.” Did he ever!

Discovering that prayer had a positive impact on his life, he continued to pray and became ever more aware of  mystical signs, such as the number 444 repeatedly coming to his attention. 

Looking into the meaning of this (which other people he met during this time were also experiencing), he found confirmation that he was being guided and watched over by benign spirits. Indeed, others saw signs of his protecters.

When the COVID shutdown finally ended, Tommy was ready for his first solo gig. It was at the Breeze Inn in 2021. He still performs there regularly, as well as at other local venues, such as Sir Ben’s and others a bit farther afield. 

Bob Bingham, who now lives in southern Florida, urged Tommy to spend time down there, where there were many more opportunities for a one-man show. He and other northland friends who are snowbirds living in Florida have put in good words for him, attesting that “he’s the real deal.” He has even landed a regular biweekly, four-month residency at Froggy’s in St. James City on Pine Island in Florida. 

So now Tommy splits his time between our Zenith City and that southernmost state, playing gigs between here and there as he travels south in his sister Judy’s RV. It’s a good arrangement for both of them since he maintains the vehicle while it’s in his possession and it escapes snow, ice and road salt during the winter months. (There have been harrowing moments on the road, but that’s another long story!) 

Here’s what he hauls along on his migration: three acoustic guitars, one (blue) Stratocaster electric guitar, a pedal board and three small guitar amps.

Becoming a solo performer has been a wonderful new development in his life. Tommy says he likes the feeling of being able to play whatever he feels like and not being steered into playing just one genre of music. His repertoire is very broad, eclectic even, and he knows so many different tunes by heart he has no need for sheet music or digital devices. 

We shared the observation that when live performers don’t memorize songs and instead need to read lyrics, it creates a disconnect with the audience. This is an aspect that separate the pros from the wannabes.

Tommy has recently worked with Allister Quade at Pinnacle Pointe Studios here in Duluth to record and release his latest compositions: “Road Dog” and “Let It Go.” These have been showcased in Tommy’s live performances at various venues and events the past few months and they will soon be streaming on most if not all the various digital platforms. 

Best of all he’ll still be performing around our area for the next couple of months until he leaves for warmer climes. But don’t worry, he’ll be back in these parts sometime next May. 

If you haven’t experienced his live show, I strongly recommend getting out to hear one. You won’t regret it!

UPCOMING: Here’s your chance to see Tommy! He’ll be playing in the Alhambra Lounge (adjoining West Theatre) Thursday, Oct.30, from 5:30 to 7:15 pm. Essentially opening for the Jimmys show at the West beginning at 7:30.