FEATURES
Tom Sellers ready for another career
Laura Nation-Atchison
06-11-2008
Living a long time runs in the family, Tommy Sellers can name several in his who have passed the century mark.
That’s one of the reasons he tells people he’s working on a second career when most people are working on getting retired.
“I say I’m going to live to be 104, and I’m going to need something to do,” he jokes.
Though he’s still very much involved with his pipeline construction company and does jobs all over the country, Sellers has another line of work in mind.
He wants to be a country music artist.
And he is, somewhat, already.
The Millerville native recorded a CD in Nashville a little over a year ago, and he’s getting bookings to play with the new band he’s put together.
He has a good following in Texas and radio stations there are giving him pretty good airtime, he said.
But Sellers would like his singing interests to be a full time pursuit, and who knows, maybe gain star status before it’s all over.
“It’s always been a lifetime dream for me,” he said.
He’s been singing since he was a kid, and about 20 years ago, was performing with a husband and wife duo regularly.
They specialized in easy listening music and often played at The Annistonian in Anniston.
“It got to the point we were playing seven days a week,” Sellers said.
What drives him to sing, he says, is simple.
“I like to see people having a good time,” he said.
He’ll soon take off for Lubbock, Texas, where he and the band will play at the Higginbotham Country Music Festival.
Sellers has played there before, and got started at the club by just making friends with people there.
He says anything he’s been able to accomplish is because of the great musicians he has with him.
Now, it’s Kenny Roberson playing bas guitar, Johnny Carlisle playing lead guitar, Jan Howard playing keyboards and Jim Kauffman, drums.
“They could make a donkey sound good,” Sellers said.
Sellers and the band plan to have a benefit concert in Talladega soon, most likely at The Ritz Theatre.
His three children, Kathy, a criminal justice specialist; Tonia, an attorney; and Marty, a transplant surgeon; are all for him living his dream.
Sellers doesn’t mind making jokes about his age and soon entering his seventh decade.
Before a performance once, Sellers said someone asked if he and the band had a lot of energy, “and if we jumped around a lot. I said ‘no, not unless someone helps us.’”
Sellers said it’s mainly just the fun in getting out and performing that drives him, not counting on making it really big.
“Either way it goes, it’s fine with me,” he said. “We have fun doing it, and I do think we have something to offer.”
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About Laura Atchison
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Laura Nation-Atchison is The Daily Home features editor.
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Contact Laura Atchison
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