Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly (b. Indiana, 1952 - ) -- Songwriter, bassist, guitarist, pianist, and vocalist. Tome Kelly grew primarily in West Lafayette, graduating from high school there in 1967. After attending three universities (including Purdue) and playing with several bands in Illinois and Indiana, he chose to pursue a music career and moved to Los Angeles in 1974. He worked with Dan Fogelberg's band and recorded two albums in the mid '70s with a spin-off group called Fools Gold. He was also rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist for Toto's "World Tour" in 1979 and appeared on two of their albums. A turning point in Kelly's career came in 1981, when he wrote his first hit song, "Fire and Ice" for Pat Benatar's Precious Time; it peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the same year, he partnered up with lyricist Billy Steinberg, and the hits poured out for the next decade. Catching the attention of some of biggest pop stars of the day, the two collaborated on the following blockbuster hits: Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors" (#1); the Bangles, "In Your Room" (#5, 1988); the Bangles, "Eternal Flame" (#1, 1988); "Like a Virgin" (#1, 1984); Cyndi Lauper, "I Drove All Night" (#6, 1989); Whitney Houston, "So Emotional" (#1, 1987); the Divinyls, "I Touch Myself" (#4, 1990); REO Speedwagon, "In My Dreams" (#9, 1987); and Heart, "Alone," (#1, 1987). Not only did he co-write the aforementioned hits, he played various instruments on some of the recordings. In fact, Steinberg and Kelly recruited some rock veterans to form a band called i-Ten, which recorded one album, Taking a Cold Look (1983). Their version of "Alone" was the only hit (see video below). Kelly & Steinberg were inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 2011.