The Bio Since the sixties Thom Davis has been known as a Performer, Recording Artist, Instructor and Student of the American Musical Art-form known as "Roots", "Blues", "Folk" and "Country Blues". A native Californian, Thom's background isn't typical for a bluesman. His Spanish grandmother planted his musical roots in the Spanish classical and flamenco guitar when he was 7 years old. Later, Thom started a journey into Folk, Roots, and Blues that would take him and his guitar far and wide in many countries, performing on the streets, in bars, night clubs, coffee houses, schools, nursing homes, folk & blues festivals, cruise ships, live radio and TV. His first public performances were in the early sixties as a member of The New Brandy Creek Singers with members David Gilman, Dennis Sullivan and Faye La Belle. Some of the songs that they pursued in those days came straight from the Southern Blues men and women and were not labeled as blues, but were called Folk, Roots or race music. It wasn't until The Newport Folk Festival of 1964 that people started to recognize and label many of those old songs as Blues or Country Blues, but just the same it was great American music no matter what it was called. Over the years, Thom crossed paths with many people whose influence was beneficial to his development and understanding of the blues tradition. Many of his influences became his mentors, among them were: Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong, John Jackson, Cootie Stark, John Cephas, Jerry Ricks, David "Honey Boy" Edwards, Robert Lowery, Carl Rutherford, Alice Stuart, Precious Bryant, Guy Davis, Louisiana Red, John Miller, Orville Johnson, and 'Ragtime' Rick Blaufeld. Thom first felt the power of the blues while playing a nightclub gig in Yokohama, Japan in the late sixties. When he laid down the Nick Gravenites (Paul Butterfield Chicago Blues Band) tune 'Born In Chicago', the dancing stopped and the crowd went wild. Some 30 years later Thom opened for Nick Gravenites at the Mendocino County Blues Festival. "I have had some wonderful opportunities and experiences in my musical life; carryin' Carl Rutherford's guitar around and listening to his stories about life and death in the coal mines of West Virginia. Sitting atop the windmill on our family's ranch singing along with Johnny Cash and "The Preacher"; the Reverend Floyd Gressett, pastor of the Avenue Community Church in Ventura. Eating supper with Big Joe Duskin while listening to his stories about being a cop in Cincinnati and getting stabbed by his old lady. The amazing stories that Howard Armstrong and John Jackson used to tell. I have learned a lot from all of them and bring those elements into my performances and instruction." "I came from a family that historically were enemies; my father being Spanish and my Mother being Native. On my Father's side I have a straight line to the Spanish who landed in Saint Augustine, Florida in 1513, "America's First City". Spain sold Florida to the United States in 1821. My Great Grandfather was Don Agustin Vicente Zamorano born in Saint Augustine, Florida on May 5, 1798 and became a Soldier and Statesman for Spain. He was educated in Spain and returned to Florida and eventually turned against Spain and served under Bustamente in the Revolt of Mexico against Spain. In 1825 he came to California as Secretary to Governor Echiendia.  Don Agustin Vicente Zamorano was a Spanish grandee and eventually became Governor of California, signed Mexico's Independence from Spain and brought the first printing press to California printing the first books and manuscripts there.  He was a master calligrapher and artist (see his self portrait on my "Photos" page) additionally, there is a fine arts acadamy in San Diego, California which was named after him.  The singer Linda Ronstadt is my second cousin, as Zamorano is our Great Grandfather. Though he was not known as a musician there were plenty of musicians in my family. His son, Agustin Vicente Zamorano II was a fine Spanish classical guitarist who was known for his Spanish Classical and Flamenco Concerts and who taught my grandmother to play guitar who in turn was my first guitar teacher. My mother's family was a bit mixed up, but basically came from the Sauk & Fox (Asakiwaki/Meshkwahkihaki) Reservation in the Oklahoma Indian Territory. They never did anything to be famous for and none of them were musicians, but they were very kind and gentle people. They kept the Native heritage in the closet after my Grandmother left the Reservation because "skins" were looked down upon in a white society. She even took it upon herself to obtain a birth certificate that said she was born in some place that didn't exist and in that way she became white and socially acceptable. All of my ancestors are walking on the wind, but I was blessed with two wonderful children to keep the blood and the music alive."