We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tom Lohrmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tom, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?
If you put yourself or your work out into the world — whether through music, art, or performance — you’re bound to be misunderstood at some point. And being a touring musician for over a decade, I’ve felt that on multiple levels. It’s actually impossible to in a reasonable amount of time showcase all of the unique variables that we as touring musicians constantly deal with living on the road – there are just too many.
Our lives on the road are often glamorized, but the reality is far from constant excitement and applause. Most days are filled with physical labor, tight schedules, and juggling basic needs like food, exercise, and showering in between load-in, soundcheck, showtime, and load-out. On top of that, there are never-ending financial pressures, relentless travel, and the emotional weight of being away from loved ones. As an optimist, I tend to share the highs, but that also means facing many of the struggles and traumas alone — because the show always has to go on, no matter what’s happening behind the scenes.
The emotional toll of life on the road is intense. One moment you’re on stage in front of thousands of people, the next you’re alone in a bus bunk, van, or hotel room, completely drained, missing those you love more than ever. Time zone shifts throw your body and mind out of rhythm, with effects sometimes lingering for weeks. You live out of suitcases and duffel bags, and even basic life experiences — like cooking your own food or sleeping in your own bed — become fewer and far between. I’ve learned to build good routines, but it’s still very difficult in ways most people can’t fully grasp.
Relationships take the hardest hit. Friends, family, romantic partners, other business partners you work with on creative endeavors — it’s all difficult to manage. I’ve missed milestones — births, birthdays, weddings, even funerals. People grow distant, or they drift away entirely. Unless someone’s lived a similar life, it’s tough for them to understand. Romantic relationships are even more complicated — they require trust, patience, and independence from both sides. Even then, it’s a constant dance of miscommunications, missed calls, and bridging time zones (and in some way shape or form, extreme periods of distance). You can do everything and more to insure things work out, only to watch them crumble as a result of challenges this particular lifestyle presents. In a positive way, though, it has been beneficial to see with very refined clarity who and what really matters, who pours back into my cup, and who has been there for me at my toughest moments – all while learning that love isn’t just about physical presence, that effort, intention, honesty and follow-through, even from thousands of miles away, is what really makes or breaks things.
The biggest lesson in all of this has been learning to let go of how I’m perceived. I show up, I do the work, treat others with kindness and respect, and I give people the most honest version of myself I can. And in the quieter moments — when I’m not on stage — I try to connect with people, explore each new city I have the privilege of visiting, and be present in the small, meaningful ways. Because in the end, that human connection is what makes this life worth it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’ve been immersed in music my whole life — raised by professional vocalists, I sang in both school and church choirs and played in garage bands, eventually writing original music with my brother, Arthur, as Sonic Nights. In 2011, I launched a music blog through my work in digital marketing, interviewing hundreds of artists through industry events and festivals like The NAMM Show and Vans Warped Tour.
After several years of performing around the Washington D.C. area, I moved to Nashville in 2014, completed my business degree, and began touring nationally with emerging artists, recording in studios, and collaborating with local producers.
Since then, I’ve been on CMT and NBC’s TODAY, played major festivals like CMA Fest, Stagecoach, Country Thunder, and Windy City Smokeout, and performed in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, backing artists like Cooper Alan, Riley Green, Alexandra Kay, Maggie Baugh, Tegan Marie, among others. As a writer and producer, I’ve worked with several of Nashville’s top up and coming artists, accumulating a million streams across digital platforms.
Beyond music, I’ve built a parallel path as a creative strategist, advising small businesses, independent artists, and startups on branding, marketing, and e-commerce decisions. Over the last decade, I’ve helped manage and grow both my own brand and others through work with several boutique agencies, many of which I built or co-founded. My collaborations span from local Nashville favorites like Burger Republic and Mojo’s Tacos to national and global names like Chipotle and leading music manufacturers such as Yamaha, Shure, Fender, Schecter, Line 6, and Ampeg.
Whether on stage or behind the scenes, my focus has always been on meaningful connection, creative integrity, and building community — one song, one project, or one story at a time.
If you’re interested in working together or learning more, shoot me a direct message on Instagram or write me via the contact form on the homepage!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I think at some point, we all start out doing it for ourselves — for the rush, the validation, maybe even the ego boost. But for a long time it’s been something that means so much more to me. From a very young age music has always been woven into the fabric of my life — my entire family is musical — my siblings and I grew up playing music together with our parents, a bond we still share to this day.
My parents met playing in bands up and down the east coast, especially in and around the Washington D.C. area. It goes much further back, though — my grandfather, a World War II veteran, traveled as part of barbershop and church choirs. And on my mother’s side, my great-great uncle Johnny Puleo remains one of the most influential harmonica players of all time, appearing in numerous films, television shows, and variety programs, including The Ed Sullivan Show and even a brief cameo in the Beatles’ film Help! in 1965. His blend of musical talent and comedic genius made him a unique and unforgettable performer, and as a result he became a staple of American musical comedy through the mid-20th century.
So when I get on stage or step into the studio, I feel like I’m not just doing it for myself — I’m continuing a legacy. With great pride and respect I’m carrying forward a family tradition rooted in storytelling, entertaining, and the belief that music, love, and laughter can connect people in powerful ways. It’s not about chasing fame or the spotlight — it’s about honoring where I come from and keeping that spirit alive for the next generation.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
“You’re never going to make it.” Or the classic: “What’s your Plan B?”
Those two criticisms I heard from almost everyone around me — subtle (and usually not-so-subtle) warnings that this dream was unrealistic, unsustainable, or just plain foolish. Even though my parents were incredibly supportive and encouraging when it came to music, they also understood the hard truths of a life spent chasing it. They had seen firsthand, from lived experience, what it meant to live on the road, to work in entertainment, and to sacrifice security and consistency for passion.
Morale hit an all-time low when I left the traditional college path, moved back in with my parents, and threw myself headfirst into trying to make a living with music — not just to prove something to the world, but to prove something to myself. At the time, I was dating another musician, and we’d bond over how broken and gate kept the entertainment industry seemed — how it felt impossible to “break in” unless you came from wealth or had connections. Somewhere along the line, music stopped feeling like an escape. It became a job — and not a fulfilling one. I felt creatively paralyzed.
Ironically, that’s when I started investing more in the careers of others, I think truly due to my love of music. I launched several start-up agencies and artist services companies, managed friends careers and built several successful music blogs. Still I struggled to freely create, complete, and market my own art and expressions.
Moving to Nashville was the turning point. It was the moment I decided to truly bet on myself. I made a promise: that I’d practice relentlessly, show up with a good attitude, network like my life depended on it, say yes to opportunities, and surround myself with people who were just as passionate and driven. It was the ultimate “fake it till you make it” — but in the most positive, sincere way. I stopped hedging my bets on other options and gave myself no other choice but to succeed. And while there’s still so much more I want to achieve and attain, I’m so very grateful for how far I’ve come.
Life has a way of planting limiting beliefs within us, and one of its greatest challenges is deciphering what to unlearn (and how to unlearn it). I try to remain open to growth and new perspectives — to let go of habits, patterns, and narratives that no longer serve me. That openness has been key not just to my career, but to my health, happiness, and overall well-being. Change is hard, but it’s always possible. And in choosing growth, we don’t just become better versions of ourselves — we contribute so much more meaningfully to the world around us. And we really do owe that to ourselves, and others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tomlohrmann.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomlohrmann
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomlohrmann
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3e6OYRf6ZZyNEnNmtN0K7a?si=2Py4CGUZTn67f3GsH590FQ&nd=1&dlsi=65db3248643a4d49https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jwVK1BHm9tnAHSeUM6goX?si=0lV-3KrnS-ShdJy8DDYJYQ&nd=1&dlsi=1f08ea99209c423chttps://music.apple.com/us/artist/tom-lohrmann/391377892
Image Credits
Curt Simshauser
Danny Ormiston
Corey Kelly
Charlie Foshee