Tom Bukovac

Tom Bukovac
Tom Bukovac at Wacken Open Air with Ann Wilson 2022
Background information
Born	(1968-12-20) December 20, 1968 (age 55) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Rock, Country
Occupations	Musician producer
Instrument	Guitar
Years active	1980s–present
Spouse	Sarah Buxton ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2020)​
Website	https://thesessionman.com/

Tom Bukovac (born December 20, 1968) is an American session musician and producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential modern session guitarists. He is a five-time winner of the Session Guitarist of the Year award, in addition to being awarded the Academy Of Country Music guitar player of the year award four times.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in nearby Willowick, Ohio. He has been a Nashville-based musician since 1992.^[1] He previously owned 2nd Gear, a used music consignment shop in South Nashville.^[2] In addition to releasing three instrumental studio albums, he holds several credits as a producer and songwriter. The Duesenberg "Session Man" guitar was launched in his honor in 2021.

Bukovac began playing guitar at age eight, and performed his first shows at age thirteen at his widowed mother's bar, The Surfside Lounge, in Eastlake, Ohio. He moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue a career as a guitarist.^[1]

Bukovac has played on over 1200 albums,^[1] including projects by Dan Auerbach and The Black Keys, Hermanos Gutierrez, Glen Campbell, Gwen Stefani, Kid Rock, Morgan Wallen, Ann Wilson, The Struts, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, John Oates, Joan Osborne, Vince Gill, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Hank Williams Jr., Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Carrie Underwood, Richard Marx, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Kenny Loggins, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, LeAnn Rimes, Florida Georgia Line, Lionel Richie, among many others.^[3]

Bukovac has toured with Ann Wilson (2022 - Fierce Bliss Tour), Joe Walsh (2017) – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary Tour^[4]); Vince Gill (2016); John Fogerty; Faith Hill; Trigger Hippy; Wynonna Judd; Tanya Tucker, and others.^[5] Bukovac is currently a member of The Jim Irsay band.

In 2014, Bukovac produced Trigger Hippy's self-titled album, which was released by Rounder Records. Featured on this album alongside Bukovac are Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Steve Gorman (of Black Crowes) and Nick Govrik.^[6]

In 2021, Bukovac released his first solo album, Plexi Soul, an instrumental record featuring his trademark exquisite guitar playing, produced by Chris McHugh and recorded and engineered and mixed by Shannon Forrest @ REELRECORDING1

In addition, Bukovac released the Trip The Witch instrumental record in 2021, along with Dean Deleo from STP. The record includes a track called Saturn We Miss You, with a vocal performance by Jon Anderson of Yes.

On May 1st 2024, Tom and fellow Nashville guitarist Guthrie Trapp released In Stereo, recorded (at least in part) at East Nashville's Cabin Studios. Brandon Bell and Jacob Lowery played bass, and with Dorian “Wookie” Crozier on drums. While there are some bits of atmospheric synth, the album—-much like Plexi Soul—-consists of guitar-based instrumentals. The song ‘On The Spectrum’ features Jordan Perlson on drums and Philip Townes contributed Fender Rhodes piano. Tim Lauer played keys on ‘Formant Trajectories’ with Danny Dugmore contributing slide guitar to ‘The Black Cloud’. At Tom’s insistence, Nick Govrik helped sequence the album’s songs.

In 2010 Bukovac married songwriter/artist Sarah Buxton; they have two children.^[1]

Bukovac and Buxton decided to end their marriage in 2020. Rumor has it that Buxton later had a short-lived affair with one of Bukovac's former bandmates from Trigger Hippy.

In March of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bukovac started the YouTube video series Homeskoolin'; the videos were recorded with an iPhone in his garage.

Music Row Magazine Awards^[7]

Academy of Country Music Awards^[8]