Tom Hess Bio

Tom Hess - The Musician and Composer

Tom began playing guitar on January 31st, 1986. His early influences included bands such as Def Leppard, Van Halen and Metallica. 

Later on, after hearing artists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, George Bellas and Dream Theater, Tom became driven to become the virtuoso guitarist and composer that he is today.  This eventually led him to enter music schools and earn 2 music degrees: one in Music Theory and one in Music Composition.  Tom also studied with the Lion Music recording artist George Bellas for several years (among other teachers). 

Tom has toured the world in the band HolyHell, playing alongside bands such as Black Sabbath (Heaven and Hell), Motorhead, Nightwish, Epica, Testament, Manowar and Rhapsody of Fire.  Tom and HolyHell have performed in front of sold out crowds of tens of thousands of fans including multiple shows in Germany and Czech Republic appearing at the German Earthshaker Fest 2005 and the Czech Masters of Rock Festivals.  HolyHell’s debut single “Apocalypse” is clawing its way up the European charts throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  

In early 2011, Tom joined the epic symphonic metal band Rhapsody Of Fire and recorded the album, "From Chaos To Eternity" that was released on June 17, 2011.

Tom is also the main composer of his own instrumental band, HESS.  The HESS band releases Opus 1 and Opus 2, have sold successfully in many countries around the world.  The album reviews and interviews with Tom and the HESS band are available in the CD reviews and interviews sections of this site. 

Early musical influences: Def Leppard, Van Halen, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Dio.
Later influences:   Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Andy LaRocque, Dream Theater, George Bellas, J.S. Bach (1685-1750), Fabio Lione, Paul Gilbert, Mike Walsh, Symphony X, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Richard Wagner (1813-1883), Claude Debussy (1826-1918), Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), Henryk Gorecki (b. 1935).

Discography       HESS- Opus 1     HESS- Opus 2   HolyHell - Apocalypse   Rhapsody Of Fire - From Chaos To Eternity

Endorsements Randall Amplifiers Seymour Duncan Pick ups Dean Markley Guitar Strings Clayton Guitar Picks AMT Electronics USA

Videos of Tom playing excerpts from:

Tom Hess - The Music Teacher, Trainer, Coach and Mentor

In addition to being a successful recording artist and composer, Tom is also a very dedicated music teacher. 

He has taught tens of thousands of music lessons to guitar players all over the world.  In addition to teaching private guitar lessons, clinics, workshops and master classes around the United States, Tom teaches guitar to students from all over the world through his Online Guitar Lessons program. 

A few of Tom's noteworthy students can be seen and heard on the Student Spotlight page.

Tom is also a music career mentor to musicians around the world (both up and coming as well as seasoned pros).

Tom founded the Elite Guitar Teachers Inner Circle where he coaches guitar teachers on how to teach guitar and develop 6-figure guitar teaching businesses. 

Other Instructional Products:

• Practice Generator
• Guitar Phrasing Courses
• Rock Tracks Backing Tracks CD I
• Rock Tracks Backing Tracks CD II
• Practice And Progress Log
• The Beginning Guitarist Book - Level One
• The Beginning Guitarist Book - Level Two

Tom has also taught at the National Guitar Workshop and has started and directed an electric guitar program at Harper College in Illinois.

Tom's instructional articles are published on dozens of instructional websites around the world.