In Memory
Few people are blessed to do what they love for work. Fewer still live lives in which work and the act of living blur together. Tom was one of these: he lived a musical life.
Thomas William Fowler was born on June 10, 1951, in Salt Lake City, Utah to innovative jazz educator William and English teacher Beatrice. He was the third of five boys, with older brothers Bruce and Steve, and younger brothers Walt and Ed. All five were musicians, nearly fulfilling their father’s dream of having a complete band. Tom started playing the violin at age 6, later focusing on upright bass and, inspired by Hendrix and Zappa, electric bass.
As a teenager, Tom went to San Francisco to join the progressive rock/psychedelic band It's a Beautiful Day. In 1973, with the help of bandmember Bruce, Tom joined Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. This proved a defining moment in Tom’s career and led to his subsequent collaborations with other Zappa alums Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke, and Banned from Utopia. Tom’s jazz-inflected, technically superb playing, as well as his lyricism and wit as a songwriter, continued to develop in three albums with his brothers and two solo records. In the 90s, Tom began playing with Ray Charles, serving as his primary bass player for the last decade of Ray’s life.
Tom was a child of the American southwest. He loved the landscape—“rusty devils of dust dancing out beneath the sage sky”—the freedom to roam, and the perspective of being a tiny part of a great expanse. When he finally settled down, Tom enjoyed working on his many home improvement projects and playing with his three doggos. Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, Tom heard and took part in the music all around him, whether absurd ditties about an even more absurd world or the hidden rhythms in the continuous drone of MSNBC news.
Thomas William Fowler, age 73, passed away on Tuesday July 2, 2024, due to complications from an aneurysm. He was surrounded by loved ones and music when he passed. Tom is survived by his wife (Kai), four children (Jon, Joy, Pete, Melody) and their partners, brothers (Bruce, Walt, Ed), loving nieces and nephews, and friends from around the world. He will be sorely missed by all who knew or admired him, but even though he goes before us, in Tom’s own words, “stars will still lead us home.”
Michael S. (Mike) Tingey
Boy, this news about Tom Fowler's passing is a trip down memory lane! I had the honor of playing the string bass in Skyline's Orchestra, with Tom Fowler as the section chair, and Ike Egan by his side. Those two were great musicians - I was never very good as a bass player, but to be able to hear the beautiful music from inside the music box was phenominal! Tom was so quirky funny! Always a smile! Always a funny comment. It is humbling to know that my one time friend became the lead bass player for Frank Zappa and Charlie Pride! :)
I haven't seen Tom in 50+ years, but I did speak to him before our 50th reunion and invited him to come. He graciously declined, and said he was on tour and becaus of his health this may be his last tour. Rest well Tom! I sure treasure the memories!
Remembering back, our orchestra was directed by the original "Larry Bird" - (Lawrence Bird), and the Concert Choir was directed by Donald Ripplinger who went on to direct the Tabernacle Choir. We had incredible mentors in these fine men, and they put their whole hearts into our training - and with High School kids it was a trick to get everyone to simply quiet down to begin class.
There were so many talented musicians at Skyline - Lynette Sealey & Judd Sheranian on Violin, Mark Sorensen Clarinet, Doug Peterson French Horn, Tom Fowler & Ike Egan String Bass, and so many others. I remember at our 20-year reunion Mr Bird and Mr Ripplinger attended. As I welcomed our classmates and some teachers, for some reason a thought popped into my head and I said, "Welcome Mr Bird and Mr Ripplinger, (with outstreached arms) We are your Opus!" (a reference to the movie Mr Holland's Opus). Both of them understood immediately and teared up. I took that as a clear indication of their deep dedication to us, to teaching, and to music. What good men!
We were a blessed class of high school students, and only in retrospection do we begin to understand that!
Gary S. Pollock
Tom and I were very good friends, from the time we were 10 years old, through high school. At Eastwood Elementary and Wasatch Jr High, Tom was always first chair, violin and I was second, MILES behind him!
We went to each other's house all the time. He found a great interest, passion for fly fishing and created some fantastic lures.
I kept in touch and watched, with fascination, all of Tom's adventures, sharing his extraordinary talents Tom defined "unique" I'll miss him
William Kurt Dobson
My favorite memory of Tom was a Skyline talent show in the audience. Tom walked into the stage with a pink Fender bass guitar plugged into a tiny amplifier, I think it was 'a Fender Champ'. I didn't even know he was musical. He began slowly, but soon it was a symphony of chords and harmonics that astonished the audience... both Tom and his brother Bruce joined Frank Zappa, a true musical genius and they generated a lot of great albums.
If I recall Brian Salisbury played the drums at the same talent show. Brian went on to be a World Class drummer with many famous bands.
John Edward Bates
So sorry to hear about my old locker-partner Tom-- the coolest guy in all of Skyline. I remember him taking off somewhere (as a Junior!) to play with Jack Jones, who I'd never heard of at the time. What a talent!
Bill Montague
Had Tom in my Journalism classes. What a great guy. Always admired his talents and openess. I remember some interactions with him and enjoydd his friendship. Rest in Peace.
Keith Randall (Randy) Kimball
I did not know Tom well, but we had a cordial "nodding" acquaintance. He radiated intelligence and humor. I looked on him as the individual in our class with the ultimate, untouchable cool. He was very bright and witty and always wore a gentle, mysterious Mona Lisaesque smile bordering on sardonic. It was a pleasure to cross his path and know him even as slightly as I did. I admired his great talent and always smiled whenever I saw his name in the credits for recordings and soundrtacks. I'm sorry to learn of his passing,
Keith Randall (Randy) Kimball
I did not know Tom well, but we had a cordial "nodding" acquaintance. He radiated intelligence and humor. I looked on him as the individual in our class with the ultimate, untouchable cool. He was very bright and witty and always wore a gentle, mysterious Mona Lisaesque smile bordering on sardonic. It was a pleasure to cross his path and know him even as slightly as I did. I admired his great talent and always smiled whenever I saw his name in the credits for recordings and soundrtacks. I'm sorry to learn of his passing,
Mark Emmett
Ironically, my only two fist "fights" were with top 5 "best" friends -- Tom and Joe Carlisle [Joe in second grade when he moved into my "territory" and appropriated my posse (Eric Nelson and Steven Taft -- then age 5 -- Joe "won" with ONE punch); and Tom in 1967(8?) for no good reason at all while we walked home through the empty property diagonally from Skyline to 39th Sourth -- a tie, at worst, with zero damage done].
Tom was, certainly, very, very COOL, but never a good (winning) teammate for scores of 2-on-2 touch football games in Grant Collram's back yard. (It might have been me, but . . . .). [And, I might be tempted to claim a tiny bit of credit for nudging him into modern (rock) music appreciation with our disagreement about whether Santana's first album was played by session musicians.]
I remember the mighty "Gutterado" River Tom and older brothers Bruce and Steve regularly created in front of their house on Apollo Drive, and the naughty joy of smuggling those atheists into the 12th/7th ward building for Saturday basketball sessions.
In any event, I will sorely miss the thought that Tom is still around (great YouTube vids are available).