Daily Inspiration: Meet Tommy Wood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommy Wood.

Tommy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Noblesville, Indiana, and realized that I wanted to be a music manager at the age of 16. I moved down here for college, and currently go to Belmont where I study music business. When I came to Belmont, I did not really have a long-term goal but I knew that I liked working in the music business and really wanted to be a manager. At the end of my freshman year, I interned with LiveNation in the sponsorships department and was a supervisor at Ruoff Music Center and TCU amphitheater in Indianapolis.

Coming back for my sophomore year I struggled to find direction and meaning outside of school as managing was not working as I hoped but through time and effort I prepared myself for the summer of 2022 during my second semester. The summer of 2022 took me to Bonnaroo with the BonnarooU team where I stayed backstage for the entirety of the Bonnaroo festival and conducted research for LiveNation, after that, I interned with Breakaway music festival, and when the summer ended in August, I was asked to fill a spot on Jimmie Allen’s tour crew. I am now a Junior at Belmont taking a full course load and preparing to hit the road with Matt Stell in November. All while managing an EDM Artist/DJ named Wes Williams.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest challenge that I have faced so far is simply committing to my chosen path. I remember when I was graduating high school and all of my friends who went to school mainly for business, communications, and nursing were asking me what I would even be doing with a Music Business degree which causes me to overthink at times.

Another big factor for me was COVID since I missed out on a lot of networking in person and struggled with a lot of doubt about the return of live music. In terms of struggles that I am now facing, my main struggle is simply trying to balance work (touring and management), life, and school on top of that which has proven to be very stressful for many people, including myself.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently work within the music business as both an assistant tour manager and an artist manager. Another passion of mine is venue operations due to fan interaction and outward engagement. My strong suits are definitely held in strategy, creativity, and a genuine passion for the art but they are nothing without the push of my ambition and work ethic. This is definitely a major connecting point between myself and artists because I push them to create their music as a way to express their personality and in return I get to help in that creation process in many different ways. In as many ways as possible, I strive to maintain the artistic and creative integrity behind each project that I work on.

While I am not sure if proud is the right word to describe my position, I am very grateful for this chance to influence the music industry and surrounding culture. Something that sets me apart from many of my peers is definitely my age, being only 20 years old means that I am usually the youngest in many professional settings. However, what I lack in years is atoned for by my creative problem-solving and positive attitude which is always a positive force while working with any team. Being on a touring crew, managing an artist, attending college as a full-time student, and managing myself, friends and family all at the same time have definitely made me a unique personality that stands out from many of my peers.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
At the top of my list of people that I have to thank for my success is my mother, all the work she did raising me on my own was more than I will ever be able to pay back. As I got older, she always encouraged me to go for my dreams and truly believed that I could do whatever I set my mind to. Along with her stands the rest of my family, including my stepdad, who has helped me more than he will ever know.

Many teachers and coaches are also on the list of people who really helped shape me into the man that I am.

Professionally, Andrew Newport of LiveNation showed me what it means to work hard and care about the people that work for you. Michael Schnur taught me what it means to truly master networking, and David Shultz gave me my first position on the road. Without all of my peers and superiors, I truly feel as if my path would not be anywhere near as impressive.

Contact Info:

• Website: tommywood.carrd.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommy.wood/ 

Image Credits
Jolie Adams, Peyton Dollar, and TJ Samuels