Tommy Thayer - Early Life

Early Life

Thayer was born on November 7, 1960 in Portland, Oregon and grew up in the nearby suburbs of Beaverton, Oregon. His mother Patricia Thayer (née Cunningham) was a classically trained violinist and singer and father James Thayer was a businessman, community leader and retired Brigadier General in the US Army.

Early on, Thayer was raised in a musical family with three brothers and a sister amidst sounds that ranged from classical to The Beatles and other classic 1960s pop music. Thayer’s passion for early 1970s hard rock bands drove his desire to pick up electric guitar at age 13. After graduating from Sunset High School (Beaverton, Oregon) in 1978, Thayer played in many local garage and club bands eventually forming his own group with singer Jaime St. James called Black 'n Blue.

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