Thomas Dean (September 6, 1909 – January 1965) was a pianist and bandleader who was popular on the Chicago scene in the 1940’s.
Tommy Dean was born in Franklin, Louisiana, in 1909. His early years were spent in Beaumont, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana. It seems that until the late 1930's he was based in Beaumont although he travelled around Texas and the Midwest as a musician in carnivals and circuses. He joined the St. Louis based band of Eddie Randle, subsequently began to lead his own band which toured the Mid West, and made St. Louis his home base.
Though already a veteran musician, Tommy Dean did not become a factor on the Chicago scene until 1945. Under the banner "Tommy Dean and His St. Louisans," he began playing such clubs as the Hurricane Show Lounge and Blue Heaven Theatre Lounge. He then reappeared in the Windy City in 1947. However, his first recording session was back in home in St. Louis where he cut a pair of sides for the small Town & Country label in late 1947.
Tommy Dean's next recording session took place in Chicago in June 1952 for the States label. The same band was featured with the addition of singer Jewel Belle on two of the tracks. A second session for States in November produced another single - a re-recording of "Scammon Boogie" and a "Pee Wee" Jernigan vocal on "How Can I Let You Go," which Dean would later re-record for Vee-Jay with Joe Buckner on vocal. There was a brief stop at Chance records in March 1953 to record a single credited to Barrel House Blott and the St. Louisians.
Tommy's next label (and his last) was Vee-Jay for whom he recorded between December 1954 and May 1958. No material from his last two sessions (October 1956 and May 1958) for the label was issued, so his July 1955 Vee-Jay session was the last session from which tracks were released. The Vee-Jay material is excellent.
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It features a new band in which Tommy plays both organ and piano and Joe Buckner provides strong vocals, particularly on the heartfelt "One More Mile." Mention should also be made of the tasteful alto sax performance of Oliver Nelson on these sides.
After his last session in 1958, Tommy Dean continued to tour with his combo. By 1962, he had to downsize; the last few advertisements found are for solo appearances, playing the organ or piano and organ in St. Louis clubs. He died suddenly, probably from a heart attack, in 1965.
(Edited mainly from an article by Boogie Woody @ Be Bop Wino)