Tom Guerra

Tom Guerra of Hartford, Connecticut is an American guitarist and songwriter.

Since the late 1970s, Guerra has been a popular guitarist on the New England club circuit, playing with a host of leading blues, rock n' roll and R&B acts. Influenced by Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Joe Walsh, Guerra first gained notoriety after being featured in Guitar Player magazine (3/91). Over the years, Guerra has recorded or played with Rick Derringer, The Dirty Bones Blues Band', Max Weinberg, Mark Nomad, Sticky Fingers(for which Tom wrote and arranged original music for the group's debut cd), The Easton Brothers with Muddy Waters bassist Charles Calmese, Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson from The Allman Brothers Band, Second Son, Guitar Shorty, Adolph Jacobs of The Coasters, Kenny Aaronson, and The Delrays, for which he received acclaim from Buddy Guy.

In 1999, he formed Mambo Sons with singer Scott Lawson, based upon a songwriting partnership that dated back to the early 1980s. Their debut album, released in 1999, featured guitar legend Rick Derringer. This twelve-song effort contained both new music as well as songs the two had originally written a decade before, and yet was immediately met with very positive reviews.

Mambo Sons second disc "Play Some Rock & Roll!" (2002) was named top indie release of the year by NYRock magazine, and their third "Racket of Three" was called album of the year in Pattaya Thailand by legendary rock and roll author Mott the Dog.

In 2009, at the request of legendary guitarist Johnny Winter, Tom created the liner notes for Johnny's latest release "Vol. 4 - The Bootleg Series."

On Aug. 1, 2009, Mambo Sons released a 20 song double album entitled "Heavy Days," which delighted their fans and attracted legions more. Songs on the two disc set include "The Early Train," "She Just Wants to Ride," "Overend Watts" (about the legendary Mott the Hoople bassist Peter Watts (musician)). and an energetic live cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic Stone Free.

"Heavy Days" was named "CD Release of the Week" by the Hartford Courant. In this review, rock writer Eric Danton said "Accordingly, Guerra is the focal point here, and deservedly so: he peels off blistering slide guitar licks on opening track "She Just Wants to Ride," dials in an acoustic-Zeppelin feel with the faintly Eastern-sounding riff on "Love is Strange" and unleashes enough funk on "I Love My Family" to make Sly Stone proud."

In early 2010, Cleveland's "Rock and Roll Report" named "Heavy Days" the best straight ahead rock and roll recording of the year.

All records have been critically acclaimed as the group enjoys considerable cult status in the Northeast United States, if not widespread popularity, as well as a substantial fan base throughout Eastern Europe and Asia. Website is http://www.MamboSons.com

In 2012, following the announcement of Mambo Sons hiatus, Tom switched focus to his studio guitar service, helping other artists with their songs, arrangements and recordings.

Of the hundreds of songs Guerra has written, two recent numbers have garnered praise for their positive and healing nature despite the gravity of subject.

Immediately following the Sandy Hook school shooting in December, 2012, Tom wrote and recorded "Love Comes to Us All" to honor the impacted families. Following the release of the song and associated video, Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodro and several directly impacted wrote letters praising the song.

In early 2013, Tom wrote and recorded "Put Up Their Names - The Ballad of the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans" to honor the 74 sailors lost aboard the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans Naval disaster off the coast of Vietnam in June 1969. According to Guerra, the purpose of the song is to bring attention to the U.S. Government's refusal to list the names of the 74 who died on the Vietnam Wall.

Since 1998, Tom has written for Vintage Guitar magazine, and has endorsed Brian Moore Custom guitars, DST-Engineering amplifiers and a variety of guitar related effects.