Tom Hipps: News

Some of you know that I'm a Big Brothers volunteer. My Little Brother Michael and I have been together nearly 4 years. When we first got together, I taught him the basics of drums; now, he's lettered in band at his school, playing drums and percussion. As a special "outing", I decided to take him into the recording studio with me and cut a Christmas song. We went to my longtime producer MW Nelson's studio and recorded "Early on One Christmas Morn" in just over 3 hours. We had a great time... Michael played various percussion instruments, added hand claps and sang some background vocals. The song is a rompin' stompin' old spritual with a small backwoods church feel. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO MY LITTLE BROTHER MICHAEL, so please click on the link below, download the song for only 99 cents, and make a great kid happy!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/tomhippsmichaeljakubic

As we come to the end of another (busy!) year, I want to take the opportunity to thank all of you who have come to the shows and/or purchased music or merchandise. In 2011, we played a record number of Costello & Hipps shows and Tom Hipps Trio shows, and we've had a blast. The Tom Hipps & the Shakers band made its debut last New Year's Eve at Westfield Golf Club in Winona MN, and will return there this NYE for another swingin' party. The Tom Hipps Trio will appear at Piggy's in LaCrosse WI on Friday, December 23. We will be playing several Christmas songs that night... should be a fun way to usher in the Holiday. As always, I like to remind everyone to keep Christ at the center of the Season... after all, it's his birthday we're celebrating! (One final note: We will likely be taking the entire month of January off to rest, recharge, and work on NEW music!)

We are busy working on new material for the next album, which we hope to begin recording within the next few months. Yeah, I know, I've been saying that for awhile! My old songwriting partner and current drummer Gordy and I have some cool new songs written and have recorded some rough demos, but the timing just hasn't been right to begin the actual album. Believe me though, we are excited to be writing together again and have re-committed ourselves to the project. We'll keep you posted!

FROM ORDINARY is fresh off its gig at Crossfest 2011. Man, what a hoot! We rocked hard and had a great time. Yeah, it rained, but we didn't let it dampen our spirits. Sold lots of CD's and T-shirts... thanks bunches to those who purchased merchandise, and to Mike and Ashley, who manned the merch booth. Also, a shout-out to our buddy Randy, who helped with the details (stage setup, videography, etc.) Now, we focus on our MN State Fair gig, August 27 (see "calendar" page for details). Can't wait! Until then, back to the rehearsal room:) We're working on some brand new songs, including a great one written by Gordy that is sure to be a fan favorite.

As you may know, our guitarist in the FROM ORDINARY band, Phil Rundle, has left the group. He remains a dear friend... his schedule was simply becoming too full to continue with us, and he is concentrating on his own solo music endeavors. So, to replace him, in steps... Phil! Phil Miller is our new guitarist, and we are very happy to have him on board. He is an excellent player and bandmate. We are currently in rehearsals to get our set ready for Crossfest, coming up June 25 (see "calendar" page for details). We'll be booking more FROM ORDINARY shows... we are scheduled for the Crossroads Chapel at the MN State Fair in August. Stay tuned for details.

It's official: FROM ORDINARY, our original Christian-flavored folk/rock band, is booked for CROSSFEST 2011. This will be our third straight appearance, and we're really excited. The band features myself along with Gordy Overing (drums), Dan Bergstrom (bass guitar) and new lead guitarist Phil Miller, whom we recently "stole" from the great state of Pennsylvania. We are scheduled for Saturday, June 25 at 6pm for a 45-minute set. Other great bands appearing include SIXTEEN CITIES and headliners REILLY. Make plans now to be there!!

Ok, that Saturday night SHAKERS gig at Westfield was one of the best ever! So many friends and family there, it was mind-blowing. I wish I could have gotten to talk to every one of you, but there was only so much time to mingle. If I may say so, the band was ON that night (and the crowd enthusiasm made that happen)! We're talking about doing another show at Westfield in November, and are already booked there for their New Year's Eve bash.

NOW AVAILABLE! My new single, "Music, That Is" is now available for download on iTunes and other major online music retailers. I poured my heart and soul into this one, and I hope it resonates with others who have found music to be one of life's sweetest pleasures. You can also order it from right here on this website. Visit the "BUY" page and click on the "buy this single at CD Baby" link. Enjoy!

Yes, winter is finally loosening its claws and beginning to slink away, ever so slowly. SEE YA! I'm not generally a winter hater, but this one was especially long and cold and snowy and sloppy and gray and gray and gray. I went for a long walk in my neighborhood today and I felt more alive than I have in awhile.

Looking forward to our gig at The Waterfront in LaCrosse, WI this weekend. It's a really cool lounge right on the riverfront... nice views, great food and good booz... I mean, rather... a fine selection of spirits!

I'm hoping to have a final mix of my newest single, "Music That Is", finished soon. It will then be available for download at your favorite internet music site. Stay tuned.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I had the privilege of appearing in three (count 'em, three!) Christmas Eve services with the band at at Pleasant Valley Church. Such a talented bunch of people... it's always a pleasure to sing with them. Then, the Tom Hipps Trio performed at PV the day after Christmas, playing some of our favorite gospel numbers for the congregation. Tom Hipps and the Shakers played a NYE show at Westfield golf course and had a swingin' time. Lots of fun... in fact, we went ahead and booked next NYE there as well! A highlight of the evening was having one of my favorite teachers from high school, John Ruggeberg, come up and sit in on guitar (see pic on the "photos" page). Also my old bandmate Bill Lanik (see pic), who joined us on an old favorite of ours, "Ice Cream Man". To begin the new year, we took a couple of weeks off from gigging. Football on TV, fires in the fireplace, and food in my gullet... that about covers my time off. Oh yeah, and plenty of snowblowing. Good ol' Minnesota. Back to it this Saturday night, and I'm looking forward to it... the Tom Hipps Trio is performing at a new venue for us, The Rollin' Inn in Rollingstone, MN. The next weekend (Jan. 28-29) the Trio is back for 2 nights at Piggy's, the legendary nightspot in LaCrosse, WI.

I hope this finds you in good spirits. Everyone I know is busy, busy, busy this time of year (including myself). I guess there's nothing inherently wrong with being busy, but the key is to find those quiet moments when you can sit still, be silent and let God's peace wash over you. My favorite place to do that is in my living room. I have a nice view out my window and I love to sit in my chair and simply stare out the window and reflect on the blessed life I've led. Don't get me wrong... I have my share of hassles, headaches, and suffering just like everyone. But in those quiet moments, looking out at creation, I find it much easier to be thankful. There's also been a pair of cardinals at the bird feeder lately. It's always a little thrill to see the stark, bright red against the pale winter landscape.

I'm honored once again to be performing at Pleasant Valley Church in my hometown of Winona, MN for three services on Christmas Eve; then leading worship for the morning service on Sunday, Dec. 26.

I want to wish you all a peaceful, joyful Christmas... and always remember, Jesus is the true star of the show.

My new single "Generous" is now available through iTunes, CD Baby, and most other major online music retailers. "Generous" is a driving, harmony-rich song of praise. Also available: my last single, "Waiting For You", a lush, emotionally charged ballad.

Another Great Minnesota Get-together has come and gone. I always enjoy my appearances at the MN State Fair Crossroads Chapel. I believe this was my 6th or 7th straight year on the bill (could be more?). My folk/rock band FROM ORDINARY rocked the Chapel on Friday night, August 27 and I performed an acoustic set on Friday, Septemeber 3, joined on vocals by my talented friend Sarah Lawrence. Always a pleasure to serve with the wonderful Crossroads Chapel staff who work long hours to bring everything together each year. And yes, I most certainly partook in my annual footlong hotdog with mustard and fried onions:) Check out the photo page on this site for pics.

I'm excited and honored to have been invited to lead the music worship for 3 Sundays in a row at the church I grew up in, Pleasant Valley Church in Winona, MN. It is a wonderful place where I have many treasured memories since I began attending in about 7th grade, along with my mom, sisters, cousins and friends. Even though I moved to the Minneapolis area several years ago, I have returned to Winona and spent every Christmas Eve with my family and the fine folks at PV, as we call it. Pastor Rick Iglesias is an engaging teacher/preacher who challenges and inspires. I will be appearing with the worship band August 1, 8 and 15. Services are at 9am and 10:45am each Sunday.

After all the preperation and anticipation, Crossfest 2010 is wrapped up. I had a wonderful time playing a 45-minute set on Saturday with my band, From Ordinary. Also enjoyed hanging out with other musicians and the hardworking staff of this great event. If you missed it, mark your calendar for next year! Check out some photos on the "Photo Gallery" page.

Today marks the release of my brand new digital single, "Waiting For You". It is currently available exclusively through CD Baby, the best source of great indie music, for only 99 cents per download. (It will also soon be available on iTunes and most other major online music retailers.)

"Waiting For You" is possibly the most emotional song I have written. It is a power ballad tinged with shades of Coldplay and/or Queen. Writing it was a deeply satisfying experience and I had a great time recording it with my longtime producer, Michael Nelson. I sincerely hope you like it and may even relate to the honest, soul-baring lyrics.

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TomHipps

From Ordinary. The new name of the Tom Hipps Band is taken from our song, "From Ordinary", written by me and my longtime drummer and best pal, Gordy Overing. He and I, along with Kevin, Phil and TJ have been in rehearsals and are pumped for our June 26, 1pm Crossfest appearance. Make this show if you can... it will be our first with this lineup, and we want you to share the experience with us. See the "calendar" page on this site for more details, and go to the "photos" page/Photo of the Week and click on the thumbnail to see the new logo. Also watch for our exclusive band website coming soon!

My father, Mark C. Hipps, passed away April 26, 2010 at 6:15pm. He wasn't a perfect dad by any means, but we had many good times and in the past couple of years, he began to say "I love you" to those close to him. He also had made his peace with God, and I know for a fact he's in heaven. I had no idea I would miss him this much, this soon. Please see his photo in the Photo of the Week section on this site (click on it to enlarge).

UPDATE: Through this promotion (see below), CD Baby and its artists raised $24,000 toward earthquake relief for Haiti!

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Starting on Monday, January 25th and continuing for two weeks, the online independent music outlet CD Baby (my favorite!) will donate $1 from every CD sale, and $1 from every download sale over $8.99, to the American Red Cross and to Mercy Corps, a Portland-based relief organization with a large presence in Haiti. With your help, we hope to raise tens of thousands of dollars.

I will also match their $1 donation for every sale of my CD's or downloads. That's $2 per CD or minimum $8.99 download that goes to the relief effort in Haiti.

There's no better time to both support independent artists AND help out some people in desperate need. Please go to the "Buy" page of this website and click on the "Buy this CD at CD Baby" link to be routed to the CD Baby website. Thanks and God Bless!

I''m excited the Tom Hipps Band has been asked to appear at Crossfest USA again this summer! This year's festival (held in Lewiston, MN) promises to be even bigger than ever, and will feature some of the finest acts in Christian music today, including Mark Schultz, Rush of Fools, Chris and Conrad, Everyday Sunday and Sarah Reeves. There will also be Minnesota Vikings coaches and players hanging out on Saturday, and stay tuned for an announcement regarding a surprise guest speaker (it's not official yet, but we're crossing our fingers:) Mark your calendar for the weekend of June 25-27 and plan to join us. I'll be updating info on this site as it develops, and visit www.crossfestusa.com for all the details.

Snow, snow, and more snow! But you know, I really don't mind it. Oh sure, I hate getting stuck in my driveway as much as anyone... that just happened a couple of days ago... but for some reason, the older I get, the more I enjoy winter. Having a good snowblower, a good heater in the car and a warm house with two fireplaces sure helps! And, I'm happy for the folks who run ski resorts or make/sell snowmobiles and other winter gear... not to mention the snowplow drivers... anything that helps people keep working in this bleak economy should be welcomed. Next Saturday, me and my Little Brother (BBBS) are going snowshoeing for the first time. It's a half-hour lesson, then a one-hour hike... hope I can keep up!

Had a great time at the Cup A Joe's gig Friday night. This weekend, it's off to Rochester for a Friday evening Costello & Hipps show at the Canadian Honker, then to Wellington's in Winona for a Tom Hipps Trio performance Saturday night.

And... I was rooting for the Colts, but who can be upset about the New Orleans Saints bringing some Super Bowl joy to that city? Next year, Vikings! Come back, Brett Favre!!!

Hey everyone... I hope you had a thankful Thanksgiving, a Christ-centered Christmas, and an enjoyable New Year's Eve, however you chose to spend it (check "past dates" on the calendar page for a brief recap of our show at the Gold Nugget). Although it was a busy and somewhat stressful time, overall I really enjoyed the Season... performing Christmas music at our shows, shopping for loved ones, listening to the beautiful carols and especially being "home" at mom's in Winona surrounded by family (and dogs!). My annual Christmas Singles Party was a blast, and my "Little Brother" and I (we're in the BBBS Program) shared a really special evening at my house, having dinner and exchanging gifts. He gave me a great book about the history of the MN music scene. I haven't started it yet, but I'm looking forward to reading it. I gave him a remote controlled car, and we had a fun time playing with it in my kitchen.

Now, we head into a new year, 2010. It's easy to think, "Geez, another year passed and I'm not getting any younger... what have I really accomplished..." BUT, it's better to think, "Wow, another year of possibilities lies ahead! What can I do to make this a special year?"

One thing I am going to work more sincerely at is SONGWRITING. In the past year, I've come up with some really fine song ideas... I think my best ever... but most are not completed. My goal is to finish up and demo at LEAST a full album's worth of material, and then some. My plan is to record the album in my home studio first. What I don't want to do this time around is quickly breeze through the writing and recording process. That's why I'm going to record the songs at home, then spend as much time as needed listening and re-listening and fine tuning them gradually. When they're as ready as I feel they're going to be, only then will I have them professionally recorded. I'm pumped, and can't wait to (eventually) share these songs with you!

My brother, Dr. Richard S. Hipps, has just released his latest book, "The Focused Life". I'm anxious to read it, and I hope you will consider picking up a copy as well. He is a gifted speaker and writer, and a heck of a guy!

Here is a link where the book can be purchased:
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=154791
It's also available on Amazon.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Just want to take a moment and wish you all a Merry Christmas. I love this time of year... the music, the decorations, the goodies, the parties, the presents (receiving is nice but I truly enjoy giving even more), Christmas trees, and LIGHTS! I think I love the lights best of all. Someone once said that if you find yourself getting jaded by all the hubbub and commercialism that takes place this time of year, imagine that every single light you see on a Christmas tree or display represents a soul who has found Heaven. Ever since I heard that, I look at Christmas lights in a new, more meaningful way. The other thing is to remember why we celebrate... the birth of Jesus Christ, the gift of God who is equally available to all.

God Bless each and every one of you this Christmas, and through the New Year. Thank you for being loyal fans and friends!

Finally made it to Graceland recently. Memphis, Tennessee. Birthplace of Rock n' roll, cradle of the blues, and home of my brother Richard, who preaches at Trinity Baptist. The Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studios, Beale Street, damn good barbeque at Marlowe's, warm southern hospitality, Gus's Fried Chicken... and perhaps most famously known for Graceland, the home (and final resting place) of Elvis Presley, purchased in 1957 for $100,000. The tour winds through the various rooms of the downstairs of the house (the upstairs, Elvis' private quarters, are roped off). If you care at all about Elvis, there's an odd mix of emotion... but mostly I felt a warmth, easily imagining the Presley family having many good times there, and almost feeling at moments like I was eavesdropping.

The tour concludes in the Meditation Gardens, where the Presleys are buried. I got All Shook Up and couldn't speak.

(See the "Graceland" group in the Photo Gallery for pics... click on thumbnail to enlarge photos and read captions)