Bat’s Biography                

Real Name: Thomas Andrew Bennett (TAB)=(BAT)

Age: 45

Hometown: Albuquerque NM

Married: Definitely

 

    Bat was born in 1964 in a little town called Waukegan, Illinois. His father, Jim Bennett, was Fire Chief, and his mother, Sandra Bennett, groomed dogs in the basement of their home. He also has an older brother named Steve. The family was a normal suburban household with dinner at 5 and much playful happiness. They frequently camped, traveled, fished, rode snowmobiles, etc.

 

    He began to play the banjo at age eight, and along with his brother on the guitar, played at zillions of campfires during their childhood. At nine he took up the guitar, and attacked this new instrument with much fascination.

 

    At 13, Bat’s father took a job in New Mexico as the County Fire Marshall in Albuquerque, and the family moved west. He continued practicing the guitar, and began playing in Mid-School bands. Upon reaching High School, he began to dabble with the piano, and sang in a prominent acapella Do-Wop group, learning to sing lead and harmonize.

 

    After graduation, Bat and a friend took off hitch-hiking across the country, performing as a duo in Rosemont, LA, Santa Barbara, and finally ending up in San Francisco. Obtaining a street performer’s license from the city, Bat became a staple attraction at Pier 39, where he learned to perfect the art of taking any and all requests on the spot, expanding his repertoire beyond counting.

 

    While visiting back in Albuquerque, he met the girl of his dreams 

(Brenda Jeanne Hughes) and forsook San Francisco to be married in Albuquerque, and to begin raising a family. He started with the little clubs around town, graduated to the large “A” Clubs, and soon was touring the southwest with various bands playing guitar, bass, piano, and singing.

 

    Feeling a need to do something for his country, Bat started writing to the Pentagon in Washington to find if there was anything that a musician could do in service to support the nation.             

    This was shortly after the first Gulf War. After a year of writing and phone calls, he finally got through to the Department of Defense, who had an immediate interest in his ability and experience. They sent a delegation from the DOD to watch him perform, and the next thing Bat knew, he was headed overseas to the Pacific Rim to perform for US troops stationed in Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Kwajalein, Guam, and Hawaii.

 

    The touring went on for ten years in some 50 different countries, several continents, and countless islands. He performed in USO shows on air craft carriers during the second Persian Gulf war, every US and NATO camp during the Balkan War, UN bases, American and foreign embassies, UN and NATO summits, and even was invited to speak on the behalf of performers to a Department of Defense meeting in Washington to address the needs and obstacles facing performers doing service for their country abroad.

 

    Upon returning home after a decade of travel, Bat became a High School music teacher in Albuquerque, but still performed at night in area clubs.

 

    Still wanting to do something for America, he turned his attention to US veterans whom have returned from service. He now performs at American Legion posts throughout the country, as well as Elk’s Clubs, hotels, and Nightclubs. Traveling with his wife Brenda, he tours from place to place hoping to bring a smile and a song to whomever needs one.