Tommy Shaw
September 11, 1953
2008 Inductee

Montgomery native, singer-songwriter-musician Tommy Shaw became an overnight success when he joined the multi-platinum band Styx shortly before a tour in 1976.

The vocalist recalls a phone call he received from a member of the group's crew, "They were in a kind of panic situation. They had new management, a new record, a new label, a new tour about to start and somebody had just quit."

He flew to Chicago to audition and was "hired on the spot". The change generated many of the group's future hits such as "Crystal Ball", "Blue Collar Man" and "Too Much Time On My Hands", which were written and sung by Shaw.

In 1984 he released his first solo project, "Girls With Guns" on A&M Records, which he followed with "What If" for the same label, and "Ambition" for Atlantic Records.

He then teamed with Ted Nugent, former Night Ranger bassist, Jack Blades and drummer Michael Cartellone to form the group Damn Yankees on Warner Brothers Records. The group's first single, "Coming Of Age", quickly established them as chart toppers.

He now, once again tours with the rock group Styx.