Today we’d like to introduce you to Emmanuel Tomes.
Hi Emmanuel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a very musical household with my dad being a lead singer in a band and my mom a choir director at our church. My siblings and I were constantly singing around the house, and we loved having competitions among the four of us. Fast forward to my mid 20’s and my younger sister, Elyssa had established herself as well seasoned singer and performer in San Antonio while I had only been playing guitar mostly as a hobby.
A friend of Elyssa’s approached her about singing at a hotel event and she asked me to play guitar for her. It was funny to think this team up had never dawned on us prior to the ask. This was my first opportunity to play in front of people and the official formation of what we would call the Eetwo Band. With that first performance under out belt we branched out to play in other venues in San Antonio expanding to a full band and landing in two Battle of the Bands competitions, playing holiday festivals at the Arneson River Theatre and performing on Great Day San Antonio. Sadly in 2016 Elyssa passed away unexpectedly and after a hiatus I kept pursuing music culminating in 3 EP’s and a host of private and public performances including TV slots and radio play.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anyone who has pursued music will tell you it is not always a smooth road. My biggest struggle was getting over the loss of my sister and finding the motivation to continue making music. I always thought of her as the reason I even began pursuing music professionally. Covid was also a big hinderance since many places were either shuddered or stopped hosting live music. I had a moment just after everything began to open back up where I wanted to stop playing, but this was a fleeting feeling as it turned out. Other than the external causes, as many artists will say, it can be difficult putting yourself out there especially if you think no one is listening. I’ve, for the most part, learned to ignore this feeling and continue to create and it has worked out pretty well.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer-songwriter and guitarist in the central Texas area who writes folk-blues music highlighting personal battles and societal critique. I am probably most known for my eclectic genre spanning style. I have released three EP’s and they dip into folk, blues, funk, americana, rock and classical genres. I am especially proud of my most recent EP Soulful Symphony which features some of my best songs. The CW Austin Television Network featured my song “The Dove” on the 512 Studios Live program and Sun Radio in Austin featured my favorite song from the EP, “It’s Alright” in The Sound of Our Town slot. I think what sets me apart from others are the bands that I front, them being very different configurations. One is a funk-blues style full band and the other is a americana-bluegrass trio. People who had only seen one and then eventually the other are often pleasantly surprised.
What makes you happy?
The things that make me the most happy are my family, my wife Miranda and our pets. Of course, music has a special place. Vinyl sessions are pretty big for me and going out to see my musician friends and other bands live. I’ve met some of the best people while navigating the musical world. Playing is a joy, especially when the music is the main attraction. I played a show with Sofar Sounds in Austin last year where this was especially the case, they as a practice encourage the audience to focus on the musician and their songs and stories. Other than performing with my sister, it was my single most fulfilling musical experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etomesmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etomesband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmanuel.tomes/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmanuelTomes
