When "Cookin' Mama" disbanded in '72, Guitarist/keyboardist/bassist/vocalist/songwriter and band leader Tommy Thompson moved from Alameda to L.A. along with CM alumni Vince & Lou.  Together they worked on original music from '73 - '75 in their band, "Saroyan," which featured Hank Saroyan & Janis Liebhart on lead vocals (both of whom were also born & raised in Alameda). Hank, who was concurrently working as associate producer for Dick Clark Prod., produced the band @ Wally Heider Studios in L.A. Janis later went on to sing with Neil Sedaka, The Moody Blues, and Michael Bolton. After that project, Thompson returned to the Bay Area and spent '76 - '77 playing in a number of different types of cover bands in order to further expand his musical horizons.  And from '78 - '79 he re-united with Paul to play in "Scratch." Then, during the years 1980 - 1984 Tommy did a 5-year stint with the Berserkely Records band "HYTS."  This association produced two albums ("HYTS" and "Lookin' From the Outside"), which were both released on Gold Mountain/A&M records.  Their first single in 1981, "Backstabber," generated a video which was featured on a fairly new cable TV station known as MTV.  That video was in heavy video rotation for 4 weeks.  It was a humorous "take-off" on the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie:  "Psycho." (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch) A compilation of both albums was released in Europe in the late-'80's under the name: "Eleven Bloody Men." During Thompson's time with HYTS, they performed as the opening act for: Rick Derringer (8 times), Lesley West & Mountain, Joan Jett (2 times), Ronnie James Dio, Joe Perry Project, Motorhead (3 times), Alvin Lee & Ten Years Later, Lita Ford, Night Ranger, The Greg Kihn Band (10+ times), The Tubes, Scandal, Dokken, Red Rider, Angel City, and Y&T (5+ times), among others. HYTS also performed on the late-night TV music show: "Rock Palace."  In 1983 Tommy had also begun working with local Bay Area band, "The Alameda All Stars." (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch). Thompson & The All Stars performed as the opening act for many well-known artists, including: Journey (2 times), Lynyrd Skynyrd, Styx, The Marshsll Tucker Band, Edgar Winter, .38 Special (3 times), Night Ranger, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Jonny Lang, and more. And he & The AAS also performed a number of times on "multi-band" shows along with: Sammy Hagar, Canned Heat, Eddie Money, Narada Michael Walden, Taj Mahal, The Tubes, Third Eye Blind, Cold Blood (3 times), Shemekia Copeland, The Sons of Champlin, The B-52s, Jefferson Airplane, Plain White T's, Moby Grape, and "Country Joe" McDonald. And it was in 1990 that he and the All Stars scored the gig as the original members of Gregg Allman's back-up band: "Gregg Allman & Friends." (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch) Tommy spent the 5 years between 1991 – 1995 performing and recording with "Gregg Allman & Friends" as Gregg’s pianist.  Then, from 1996 - 2001 he continued on as Allman's pianist, as well as becoming his band leader and musical director. In 1994, GAF was booked for that year's "Bay to Breakers" run in SF.  The post-race show was held at the Polo Grounds in SF's Golden Gate Park.  Jay Leno was the MC for the event.  The crowd was estimated at over 200,000 people. (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch) Also in '94, Pat joined Tommy & Preston onstage to perform with "Gregg Allman & Friends" for a New Year's Eve show.  Gregory's long-time friend and blues legend, John Lee Hooker, also did a guest appearance with GAF that night.  As well as former Alameda All Star, Brad Gillis, who was currently working with "Night Ranger."   From 1995 - 2001, Thompson continued touring & recording with Allman, which included recording tracks on Gregg’s 1997 solo album, “Searching for Simplicity."  Produced by the one and only Tom Dowd.  And he can also be heard playing the keyboard solo on Gregg’s Hammond organ for their “live” version of Jackson Browne’s song “These Days.”  That track - which was recorded at the famed "Fox Theater" in Atlanta, GA - was included on Allman’s 2002 album: “No Stranger to the Dark” - “The Best of Gregg Allman.”  During his 10 years with GAF, Tommy toured extensively throughout the USA, as well as doing a 4 week tour to Japan in 1998 to promote "Searching For Simplicity."  After the Japan tour GAF recorded a radio commercial in Marin at Jonathan Cain's Studio to be used over in Japan for "Kentucky Fried Chicken."  Jonathan ("Journey") engineered & produced the session. In 2007, Tommy and the AAS backed up ultra-keyboardist Brian Auger for the "40th Anniversary of The Summer of Love."  This gig was held outdoors @ fabled "Speedway Meadows" in SF's Golden Gate Park.  Over 100,000 people attended.  (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch) Two years later in 2009, the All Stars and Thompson were back again at Speedway Meadows to perform at "West Fest" -  which was held to celebrate the "40th Anniversary of Woodstock."  This time backing up Denny Laine from The Moody Blues and Paul McCartney's touring band. (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch) And on the same show, the AAS also backed up Leslie West from Mountain, performing "Mississippi Queen." Once again the crowd was over 100,000. (Click "Tommy's Videos" Button to watch)    Over the course of his career, Tommy has recorded on sessions produced by: Tom Dowd, Eddie Kramer, Jim Gaines, Mark "Mooka" Rennick, Matthew King Kaufmann, Richie "Dr. Schnoz" Corsello, Norton Buffalo, Tom Size, Brad Gillis, Larry Cox, and Jonathan Cain. And he has played on recording sessions with: Warren Haynes, Norton Buffalo, Rustee Allen, Deen Castronovo, Tom Coster, Dan Chauncey, Brad Gillis, Shane Dwight, Natasha James, Jackson Stone Band, Luvplanet, Guin, The FOG, and Robbie Z.    Thompson has also performed on stage as a back-up musician for a number of artists such as: Dickey Betts (2 times), Warren Haynes (2 times), Butch Trucks (2 times), Jaimoe Johanson, Alan Woody (2 times) & Oteil Burbridge ("Allman Brothers Band"), Dan Chauncey, Donnie van Zant, Bobby Capps & Don Barnes (".38 Special" - 3 times), Harvey Mandel (3 times), Brad Gillis (10+ times), Joe Satriani, Lonnie Mack, Maria Muldaur, Russ Kunkle, Norman Greenbaum, Jimmy Hall, Roy Rogers (2 times), Norton Buffalo, David & Linda LaFlamme ("It's a Beautiful Day"- 3 times), Devon Allman, Lester Chambers ("The Chambers Brothers" - 2 times), Dickie Petersen ("Blue Cheer"), Terry Haggerty ("Sons of Champlin"), Greg Kihn, Floyd Miles, Freddie Roulette (2 times), Barry "The Fish" Melton, and a host of others. Tommy is currently still working with his long-time (44 years and counting) local Bay Area band, "The Alameda All Stars," performing a tribute to their former band mate, Gregg Allman, entitled: The Alameda All Stars – "Celebrating the Music of Gregg Allman.” (*see photos of the gigs n' such mentioned above in the "Flashback Gallery" page: "Tommy & Paul with Other Bands")