Tom Bukovac


Tom Bukovac is an American session musician and producer. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in nearby Willowick, Ohio. He has been a Nashville-based musician since 1992.

Formative years

Bukovac began playing guitar at age ten, and performed his first shows at age thirteen at his widowed mother's bar, The Surfside Lounge, in Eastlake, Ohio. He moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue a career as a guitarist.

Session Work

Bukovac has played on over 500 albums, including projects by Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, John Oates, Joan Osborne, Vince Gill, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Hank Williams Jr., Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Kenny Loggins, Reba Mcintyre, Blake Shelton, LeAnn Rimes, Florida Georgia Line, Lionel Richie, among many others.

Awards and nominations

Music Row Magazine Awards
YearCategoryResult
2005Session Guitarist of the YearWinner
2006Session Guitarist of the YearWinner
2007Session Guitarist of the YearWinner
2008Session Guitarist of the YearWinner
2009Session Guitarist of the YearWinner

Academy of Country Music Awards
YearCategoryResult
2004Guitar Player of the YearNominee
2005Top Guitar Player of the YearNominee
2006Guitar Player of the YearNominee
2007Top Guitarist of the YearNominee
2008Top Guitarist of the YearWinner
2010Guitarist of the YearWinner
2012Guitarist of the YearNominee
2014Guitar Player of the YearWinner

Touring

Bukovac has toured with Joe Walsh ; Vince Gill ; John Fogerty; Faith Hill; Trigger Hippy; Wynonna Judd; Tanya Tucker, and others.

Production credits

In 2014, Bukovac produced Trigger Hippy's self-titled album, which was released by Rounder Records. Featured on this album alongside Bukovac are Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Steve Gorman and Nick Govrik.

Collaborations

With Stevie Nicks
With Kenny Rogers
  • Back to the Well
  • Water & Bridges
With Wynonna Judd
With Joss Stone
  • LP1
With Beth Nielsen Chapman
  • Look
With Blake Shelton
  • Startin' Fires
  • Hillbilly Bone
  • All About Tonight
  • Red River Blue
  • Based on a True Story...
  • Bringing Back the Sunshine
  • If I'm Honest
With Carrie Underwood
  • Some Hearts
  • Carnival Ride
  • Play On
  • Blowin Away
  • Storyteller
  • Cry Pretty
With Jennifer Nettles
  • To Celebrate Christmas
With Martina McBride
  • Shine
  • Eleven
  • Everlasting
With Josh Groban
  • Noël
With Kim Carnes
  • Chasin' Wild Trains
With Peter Cetera
With Joe Cocker
  • Hard Knocks
  • Fire It Up
With Sara Evans
  • Real Fine Place
  • Stronger
With Rob Thomas
  • Cradlesong
  • Someday
With Sheryl Crow
With Faith Hill
With Brian Wilson
With Amy Grant
  • Simple Things
  • How Mercy Looks from Here
With Vince Gill
  • These Days
  • Guitar Slinger
  • Okie
With Billy Ray Cyrus
  • Home at Last
With LeAnn Rimes
  • This Woman
  • Whatever We Wanna
  • Family
  • Spitfire
With Bob Seger
  • Ride Out
  • I Knew You When
With Kelly Clarkson
  • All I Ever Wanted
With Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • The Calling
With Ashley Monroe
  • The Blade
With Dolly Parton
  • Backwoods Barbie
With Cyndi Lauper
  • Detour
With Tim McGraw'
In 2010 he married songwriter/artist Sarah Buxton. They have two children. In 2020, he started the YouTube video series, Homeskoolin'.