Interview: TOMMY JAMES Talks Career and Show at PNC Arts Center on 5/28

The Garden State Arts Foundation has announced their Spring 2026 line-up at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel.  The concerts are offered free to the public, but donations to the Foundation are very welcome.  A highlight of this season will feature Cousin Brucie Presents: Tommy James & The Shondells and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone on Thursday, May 28th. This spectacular production is already at full capacity.  It promises to thrill rock n’ roll fans and many more.   

We had the pleasure of interviewing Tommy James. He shared with us fascinating insights about his impressive career, exciting projects in the works, and his thoughts about the upcoming performance at the PNC Arts Center.

Tommy is an iconic hitmaker and one of rock’s most treasured, enduring voices. Crystal Blue Persuasion, Crimson & Clover, Mony Mony, I Think We’re Alone Now, Hanky Panky, Sweet Cherry Wine, Mirage, Draggin’ the Line, and Three Times in Love are just some of his 32 Billboard Hot 100 chart hits. Tommy has 23 gold singles and 9 platinum albums, and more than 100 million of his records have been sold worldwide. Among his many accomplishments, he has a recent memoir published by Simon & Schuster and is also the DJ of the popular weekly radio show on Sirius XM, “60s Gold” on Sunday nights from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm EST.

We wanted to know how and when his performance career started and learned that his talents were honed early in life.  He had a modeling job at 4 years old, but that wasn’t the start of his musical interests.  Tommy told us, “My grandfather bought me a ukelele for my birthday when I was four and that started me playing and singing.  At nine, I got my first guitar after I saw Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show.  I got an electric one when I was 10 years old. By age twelve, I had already started my first band, “The Tornados.”  We played at the school variety show and teen dances in my hometown of Niles, Michigan.” 

Tommy also worked at a local record store as a teenager while his own musical career began to soar.  He secured his first record deal at age 14.  Even though the deal did not include record distribution, people were definitely taking notice.  While still in high school, Tommy’s group called themselves “The Shondells.” At age 16, Tommy wrote and recorded the first of his many hits, “Hanky Panky.”  He commented, “We played it at dances and the kids loved it.”  One of his big breaks came when he recorded the song and it hit #1 on the charts in Pittsburgh. Not only was this the launch of his famed musical career, but Tommy went to Steel City to do television and radio spots.  As Tommy stated, “Only in America this could happen.”

Our readers will like to know about Tommy’s memoir, “Me the Mob, and the Music.”  and how it chronicles some startling aspects of his musical career. Tommy was signed by  Morris Levy with Roulette Records.  Although the company secured excellent distribution, there was a tremendous downside to that association.  Tommy stated, “When we signed with Roulette, there was a lot of success but also a dark and sinister story we couldn’t talk about.”  The book details how Morris and the mob took advantage of Tommy’s finances. Among the issues, Tommy did not receive his royalties.  In 2006, when the last of the mobsters known as the “Roulette regulars” passed, Tommy partnered with author, Mark Fitzpatrick, who also became his road manger, to get the full story out.  In the coming months, there will be a production based on the book.  Keep an eye out for it!

Tommy has garnered many accolades including being honored in the New Jersey Hall of Fame, an award that was presented by another renowned rock musician, Stevie Van Zandt. Tommy has lived in Jersey since 1973 and he told us why he loves the Garden State. “NJ is an amazing place and it’s on the same latitude as my hometown of Niles, Michigan.  The fans here really know how to rock! They are loyal and a lot of rock n’ rollers are in NJ.  It’s really the front yard of New York City.”

The show on May 28th at PNC Arts Center promises to be great. Tommy gave us a little sneak preview. “We are going to give the audience as much as we can. Of course, we will do the hits.  We are going to play a new version of the song I Think We’re Alone Now, a slower acoustic version for our movie that will be played during the film’s closing credits.

And this is not the first time Tommy has shared the stage with Peter Noone.  “The first time I performed with Peter was in June 1966 in Montgomery, Alabama when I opened for Herman’s Hermit’s and the Animals. It was my first major arena date. Peter and I have been good friends ever since.  We both have our own radio shows on Sirius XM.”

Tommy told us more about his popular radio show that has gotten great buzz, “60s Gold” on Sunday nights.  “The show is now in its ninth year.  At first, I was a little scared because I had never worked that side of the microphone.  I was told to play anything I would like to play and some of my own stuff.  It has really worked out.  During covid, I stayed in touch with the fans and it was wonderful.  I can also announce my upcoming tour schedule on air.”

With travel, live performances, and Tommy’s other projects, we wanted to know how he maintains the demands of his schedule. “Honestly, I love performing.  I really feel alive when I’m on stage.  It is tiring like being a professional athlete but rock ‘n roll keeps you young.   The fans are so great and over the years they have become like extended family.  You see the same faces as they follow your performance dates. There are three generations of Tommy James & the Shondells fans.”

There have been several groups of The Shondells over the history of Tommy’s performance career that have complemented Tommy’s music.  The current five-person ensemble came on one at a time in the 1970s and the 1980s.  They include Glenn Wyka on drums; Jonathan Ashe on bass guitar; John Golden on lead guitar; Benny Harrison on organ; Mike DiMeo on synthesizer; and Greg Smith on bass guitar.

Tommy James & The Shondells are not only a musical group for those of us that enjoy their big hits and remarkable talents, but they are a musical sensation for everyone, young and old.  Tommy stated, “The good Lord and the fans are responsible for our longevity.  This is our 60th year performing.  There’s a lot of good energy around our music and a lot of good feeling around it. I’m thankful to be doing it this long.”

We asked him if there was anything, absolutely anything that he wanted BWW readers and his fans to know.  “I want them to know how grateful I am that they are with me.  They’ve put food on my table and a roof over my head for six decades! Come and hang with us whenever you have a chance.”

For more info on Tommy James, visit his website. Learn about Tommy’s upcoming 2026 national concert appearances here. Follow Tommy on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Learn more about the Garden State Arts Foundation HERE.

Photo Credit: Love Images

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