Tom Waits facts for kids

Tom Waits
Quick facts for kids Tom Waits
	Waits during an interview in Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 2007
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Alan Waits
Born	December 7, 1949 (age 71); Pomona, California, United States
Genres	Rock, experimental
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, actor, composer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, guitar
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Asylum Records, Island Records, ANTI-

Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and composer. He is known for his distinct voice, electric instrumentation, and occasionally surreal lyrics. His work often includes elements of the blues, jazz, and musical theatre.

Images for kids

Waits' childhood home in Whittier, California
Waits was strongly influenced by the work of Bob Dylan (pictured right)
The Troubadour in West Hollywood, where Waits' performances brought him to the attention of Herb Cohen and David Geffen
Waits met and had an intermittent relationship with Bette Midler (pictured here in 1981) and collaborated with her on the song "I Never Talk to Strangers"
In 1977, Waits began a relationship with singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones (pictured here in 2008); his style influenced her own
Francis Ford Coppola (pictured in 1976) convinced Waits to leave New York and return to Los Angeles to score his film One from the Heart
In New York City, Waits shared a workspace with jazz musician John Lurie (pictured in 2013)
Waits appeared in several films by Jim Jarmusch (pictured in 2013)
The Thalia in Hamburg, where The Black Rider and Alice were first performed
In 1999, Waits performed at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas
Tom Waits performing in Prague in 2008 as part of his Glitter and Doom tour
Waits next to Lily Cole at the premiere for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
Waits performing in 2008