Tom Russell

Guitar, Vocals

Tom Russell was introduced to music early on in his life by his mother Glenda, who loves to play the piano and sing. She enrolled Tom in piano lessons when he was 6 years old. That lasted a few years until Tom expressed an interest in learning to play guitar. His parents bought him his first guitar and enrolled him in group lessons.

It wasn’t long before Tom was jamming with his buddies at Bruce Junior High School where he played first clarinet and first alto saxophone in the school band. As the need arose Tom took to playing the bass guitar with his friends and singing lead. His band mates played many covers of late 70’s and early 80’s rock and did some writing of their own songs. As Tom entered high school at Sturgeon Creek he played with several groups of musicians, but over time a three-some gelled into a band called DV8.  They enjoyed playing at parties and jamming at each other’s homes.

When Tom enrolled in University of Winnipeg to study Sciences in 1981, his involvement in music took a backseat to his studies.

Tom met Lisa Bunkowsky at the University of Winnipeg in the fall of 1983. They began dating in the spring of 1985 and it wasn’t long before Tom was going along with The Family Spectrum to sling gear before and after shows. Tom was reluctant to demonstrate his musical skill to the Bunkowsky family, but it wasn’t long before he was taking the heat as the band’s soundman. Tom coolly handled the high-strung antics of the family’s pre-show jitters, and always got the board up and running on time.

Tom married Lisa in 1988. Not long after, when some of the Bunkowsky girls decided to quit performing with the band, there were so many holes to fill that Tom was required to step up and reveal his musical talents.

Ever since then, Tom has been playing bass, acoustic and electric guitar, and singing with The Family Spectrum and now Legacy. He manages to squeeze in rehearsals and shows amidst a busy career as a Certified Financial Planner. He is a partner in Prairie Shield Consultants Inc. in Winnipeg. He continues to use his calm and cool personality to smooth over the rough spots that sometimes arise in a family band. Tom particularly enjoys playing good old rock and roll with his nephews. Rock on Tom!

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