Eddie Money's Guitarist Rocks the Wee Ones as 'Mr. Tommy'

Wesley Chapel musician Tommy Girvin flew in from the West Coast the other night after rocking a crowd of about 17,000.

Tomorrow (June 13), he will play in a decidedly more intimate setting, and to a younger crowd.  And — oh — he won’t be performing as Eddie Money’s guitarist; he will be appearing as “Mr. Tommy,” the children’s musician and entertainer with the big top hat.

“It’s just really fun for me,” Girvin said of the Mr. Tommy character. “It’s more refreshing and innocent." 

Girvin, who is a composer and author and has been the musical director and lead guitarist for rocker Eddie Money for two-dozen years, performs monthly as Mr. Tommy at the . The free event begins at 10 a.m. (Editor's note: Patch will also have a table at the event to collect ) Attendees can expect a mix of classic folk songs and original children's tunes.

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Girvin also performs regularly for sick children at St. Joseph's and Tampa General hospitals.

"It's nice to give back," said the Meadow Pointe III resident.

The seeds for Mr. Tommy were planted when his two children, Talia and Tommy, were younger. He would sing them lullabies at bedtime and also frequently performed at elementary schools.

“They still love it when I come in and play them a song while they’re going to sleep,” he said of his children, now 11 and 12.

Girvin sells his CD releases on his website, www.mrtommypresents.com. There is "Goodnight, Goodnight," which features titles such as "Your Favorite Blanket" and "Worms."

Also for sale is a Christmas album and “Little Songs and Verses for Little (and big) Kids." The latter includes kids songs "and verses that seem to have been lost in today's world," as well as originals.

“What I do is not the normal Mickey Mouse … thing. It’s more balanced than that,” Girvin said. "I don't do Mr. Tommy for the money; it's for the joy."

For more information, visit www.mrtommypresents.com on the Web.