You may not recognize the name Tom Bukovac, but be assured that people throughout the music industry know this man very well. And respect him and his guitar-playing talent hugely. According to Bukovac's web site, he is an acclaimed session musician from Cleveland. He's been based in Nashville for more than thirty years.
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What is truly astonishing about Bukovac, 56, is the list of artists he has worked with over the decades. It is a veritable Who's Who of the modern music business. That list includes Keith Urban, Dave Stewart, Willie Nelson, Don Henley, Carrie Underwood, Steven Tyler, and dozens more luminaries. Amazingly, Bukovac "has played on over 1200 albums...."
He earned the ACM Guitar Player of the Year honor four times. That certainly says something about him!
Tom Bukovac Got The Chance To Play With Joe Walsh A Few Years Back
When Bukovac had an opportunity to work with former Eagle Joe Walsh, he was elated. Except for one snag. He was already committed to touring with Vince Gill, who himself has now been with the Eagles for eight years. In a 2023 interview available on YouTube, Bukovac described the moment when he told Gill about the alluring Walsh gig that was available to him.
Keep in mind that Walsh was a longtime idol of Bukovac's. He said, "I was playing with Vince Gill. I'd never met Walsh before. Being from Cleveland myself, he was the only guy that ever made it out of Cleveland. My whole childhood, all I ever heard about was Joe Walsh, Joe Walsh, Joe Walsh. He was like a mythical figure to me."
Bukovac finally had to tell Vince Gill about wanting to bow out to work with Joe Walsh. Gill was as classy and gracious as ever in his response. He told Bukovac, "You gotta go do that, man." Bukovac recalled, "He was super cool about it."
What Bowled Bukovac Over About Joe Walsh's Fans
Bukovac is no novice. But what really knocked him for a loop about playing with Joe Walsh was the frenzied fervor that Walsh inspired in his fans. It stunned him at first. "I've never seen people in a crowd so violently with somebody...Look at these people. They feel like they know him. They're so behind him...."
