Tommy West (producer) - Career As A Producer

Career As A Producer

In 1974, Cashman and West produced records by Jim Dawson and Mary Travers. In 1975, they formed Lifesong Records and recorded singer-songwriter Henry Gross, who in 1976 had a million-selling single "Shannon". West also recorded "Hometown Frolics," his solo album. In 1978, Cashman and West produced Dion's "The Return of the Wanderer." West began recording in Nashville in 1978, producing an album by Gail Davies and beginning a five-album collaboration with Ed Bruce.

In 1984, West entered into a partnership with Mary Tyler Moore's MTM Records, based in Nashville. Production credits during this time include recordings by Judy Rodman, Holly Dunn, and Girls Next Door and The Metros from Minneapolis. West produced three #1 country singles - "You’re The Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had" with Ed Bruce; "Until I Met You" with Judy Rodman; and "Love Someone Like Me" with Holly Dunn.

In 1992, Tommy West launched High Harmony Records. Its initial release, "Through The Raindrops," by harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio, remained on the Billboard New Age chart for nine months. The album made the Top Twenty New Age year-end chart in Billboard and launched Bonfiglio's success on the QVC Network, where his appearances generated over 200,000 units. In 1993, West teamed up with Anne Murray and produced Croonin' a collection of classic pre-rock songs of the fifties. The album achieved double platinum status in Canada and had a substantial run on the American charts as well. Croonin' received a Juno Award as best engineered pop recording of 1993. In 1994, West produced Kindred Spirits with New Age pianist Andy Wasserman. In 1996, West produced Always On My Mind, a collection of pop standards with Robert Bonfiglio for Time-Life Records. In 1997, West produced Healing In The Dark with acoustic rock duo Blonde on Blonde. He produced a Bonfiglio Christmas TV special for PBS called "Home For The Holidays." In 1998, he produced Playing God with singer-songwriter Bob Hillman. A second album, Welcome To My Century, was recorded in 2000. In 1999, West again teamed up with Anne Murray and produced What a Wonderful World, a two CD collection of inspirational and secular "message songs." This recording reached #1 on the Billboard Magazine Contemporary Christian chart, achieving double platinum status in the United States.

In 2000, West produced Susan Piper's album, The Truth Comes Out. In 2001, West produced eight Christmas songs with Anne Murray as part of a project entitled What a Wonderful Christmas. In 2002, West produced Country Croonin' a thirty-song double CD of timeless country classics, which was certified gold in 2004 by the RIAA. In 2004, West produced All of Me with Anne Murray, a collection of pop standards from The American Songbook.

Tommy West continues to focus on new singer/songwriters and records many of his projects in his state of the art studio, "Somewhere In New Jersey", which was wired by his stepson Blair. Most recently he teamed up with former RCA Recording artist Jim Dawson and former Terry Cashman Cashman and West Tour Manager, John Battiloro to produce the Anthem "Back together again" for The Global Medical Relief Fund at his New Jersey Studio. Mr. Battiloro also engineered.