Tom touched the lives of so many through his music and friendship. Please use the form below to share your memories and stories. Whether you knew him personally, professionally, or both, we’d love to hear from you! We will review all submissions and add them to this page so others can enjoy them too.

September 29, 2025

Vinnie Tyrone

A great man! Missed but never forgotten. He was always nice to me when I came over to Mimi’s for singing lessons. Good man.

September 27, 2025

Gary Miller

“I grew up listening to Tom at the pizza place in Redwood City . Tom was a wonderful musician, boy, the sounds he could get out of that organ. As time went on, I heard Tom give many concerts. When I heard Tom passed away, my heart went out to the entire family. Rest in peace, Tom.”

July 9, 2025

Tom De Lay

“Personally, he was an amazing home-grown organist. My father, who was anything but musical, knew Mr. Forbes, Tom’s early teacher.

Professionaly, he could make the junkies’ organ sound very good. By the same token, he could make the finest instruments sound stunning! Just today, on one of the FB TO pages, a discussion came up about his concert in 1985 at the Chicago Stadium. Years before, in 1977, he played an organ in a Chicago suburb that he made sound excellent.

He said the organ was hideous. He was happy to hear me say good things about the concert, but he’d have none of it. The organ was, at the time, a real pile. He explained why, and of course, he was correct.”

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