Thomas “Thom” William Henry Roberts
NASHVILLE - Thomas “Thom” William Henry Roberts of Nashville, TN, died on July 9, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents Daisy and Fred Roberts of Royal Oak,
MI. He is survived by his stepson and grandson John and
Cameron Thorburn, his brother and sister-in-law Dave and
Diane Roberts (Gervais), his nieces Haley Roberts (Robert
Olkowski) and Rose Grugal (Bryant), and his nephew David
Roberts (Kathleen Hosie).
Thom grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, loving the diverse music scene that included local favorites Bob Seger, Glenn
Frey, and the MC5, as well as famous venues such as the
Grande Ballroom where he could attend live concerts by
Cream, The Who, and others. Thom also loved the folk scene and frequented places like The Raven Gallery to watch singers like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, Tom Waits, and Chuck Mitchell perform. Thom and his friends bought and studied records the way other kids collected baseball cards and memorized batting averages.
While at Dondero High School in Royal Oak, Thom teamed up with several friends to form an “Ecology Club,” a student environmental action group that came to be known as SCUM (Students Cleaning up Messes). The group introduced can recycling to Royal Oak. SCUM won one of fifty Presidential Environmental Award certificates in 1972.
In 1974, Thom enrolled at Central Michigan University. While he enjoyed books and history, he quickly resolved to find an opportunity to work with bands. In 1977, he left Mt. Pleasant to work with a Milwaukee group called The Street Corner Band. And with that move, Thom began his odyssey that would take him across North America, Europe, and Asia, working lights for such greats as The Beach Boys, The Grateful Dead, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Eddie Rabbit, and many others. He worked for Vince Gill, Randy Travis, Olivia Newton-John, and Here Come the Mummies for extended periods before retiring from the road in 2022.
At home or between gigs, Thom also worked for several local houses, including The Grand Old Opry, The Franklin Theater and The Exit/In. At Belmont University, Thom served as lighting director for several of their PBS Christmas Concerts. One of his greatest delights was working with Belmont students to plan and execute their final spring performances each year. He was a great mentor to young people starting out in the concert tech business. In short, Thom loved collaborating with artists, techs, and roadies of all ages.
When Thom wasn’t doing what he loved at work, he focused on being his grandson’s biggest fan. Whether it was baseball, golf, or other activities, Thom encouraged Cameron to explore his interests and develop his skills. Cameron graduated from high school in 2023. To celebrate, Thom planned on taking him to Italy.
In an online tribute, his long-time friend and employer Randy Travis said that Thom was one of the best lighting technicians in the music business. “Thom not only had a magical sense about lighting a stage, but he had a quiet, charismatic presence that ignited your soul.”
Thom kept in touch with a core of friends from his childhood, including the SCUM group, going back to 1960. He and some high school classmates were planning a celebration of their 1973 graduation for this fall.
Co-workers, friends, and neighbors knew Thom as a big man with an even bigger heart. He will be dearly missed by many. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Feeding America or to the charity of your choice.
Friends and family will gather on Saturday, September 30, from 12:00 pm until time of memorial service at 1:00 pm at Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Directors, 705 W. Eleven Mile Rd. (4 blks. E. of Woodward), Royal Oak, 48067.