We had the good fortune of connecting with Tommy “Rocks” Anderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tommy “Rocks”, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I opened my music store in Jerome on July 1, 2014. I realized early on that it would have to be more than just a music store : “typical” music store are made for musicians. I wanted Tommy Rocks to be a store for aspiring musicians, a place where I could “create” future musicians. I think that deep down, most people want to sing and play music, but maybe had been told in the past that they couldn’t do it, or were “not good enough.” I firmly believe that everyone can do anything that they want – you just have to give yourself permission to do it. I grew up as a farm kid in southern MN. There was no way that I was to be a musician : I was “born” to be a farmer or a carpenter. About the time that I was joining the Army, I heard that Henry Ford said : “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right either way.” I had always wanted to play guitar, so I thought “Who’s stopping me?” I began playing guitar 42 years ago, and am still going strong. With that in mind, I have inspired customers to learn to play ukulele, which is the easiest instrument to learn, but difficult to master. I created the “Jerome Ukulele Orchestra” and the “Sedona Ukulele Posse,” and have sold somewhere near 3000 ukuleles to my customers. Many of them have returned to my store to thank me for starting them on their musical journey, as it is truly life changing. Kala Ukulele (one of the world’s largest manufacturer of ukuleles) has bestowed upon me the title of “Ukulele Ambassador,” and have me listed with some of the most influential ukulele players in the world : https://kalabrand.com/pages/kala-ambassador-tommy-rocks-anderson . Still, my greatest success is working one-on-one with people and seeing how happy they are playing music.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After growing up as a farm kid, I joined the Army in 1981 and taught myself guitar. I auditioned for a band in Alaska in early 1982 : they told me that I was terrible on guitar, and said I was going to be the bass player! It was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, as it forced me to learn other instruments. Since then, I’ve become a multi-instrumentalist, and play guitar, bass, ukulele, Dobro, mandolin, piano, as well as sing and write. I now have 20 CDs to my credit, and due to the strong work ethic that I picked up on the farm and in the Army, still perform 100+ shows a year. Being a musician is not easy – but it’s the life that I’ve chosen. Life is short, and I feel that we are all here to bring love and happiness to others. I am able to do that in my performances and through my music. My CDs are available at my shows, and you can stream and download my music through all major streaming services, as well as at my website www.TommyRocks.net. .

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am fortunate to live in Cottonwood AZ, which is centrally located and surrounded by some of the most beautiful country in America! First I would take them to see the beautiful Verde River which runs alongside beautiful Old Town Cottonwood. Next I would take them uphill to my beautiful “adopted town” of Jerome AZ. What more can be said? Jerome is one of the most unique towns in America. From there you can overlook Sedona AZ, which is a must-see. But since we’re already in Jerome, I’d next drive them up Mingus Mountain, then take the 166 twists and turns and drive to Prescott AZ. First stop there: we’d grab some delicious food at El Gato Azul. Next, Prescott has a vibrant music scene, and their trip would not be complete until they spent a night on the famous “Whiskey Row” and caught some of the amazing local acts onstage.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my friends and fellow musicians in the Jerome Ukulele Orchestra. In the first year of our existence, we were asked to audition for “America’s Got Talent,” and a few years later made the cover story of Ukulele Magazine.

Website: www.TommyRocks.net

Instagram: Instagram.com/tommyrocksjerome

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tommyrocker

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tommyanderson/videos

Other: Tommy Rocks Music Store: www.TommyRocks.com Kala Ukulele Ambassador: https://kalabrand.com/pages/kala-ambassador-tommy-rocks-anderson Jerome Ukulele Orchestra: www.JeromeUkuleleOrchestra.com

Image Credits
Photo (c) Ramona Howard Photography Photo (c) Susan Johnson Photography

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