TC - YR

 Draft 1  (Word count:  520)

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers are an American rock band from Philadelphia who are renowned for their high-energy and bluesy, rock and roll live performances. 

Guitar player and vocalist Tommy Conwell formed the Young Rumblers in February 1984. By that fall, the rhythm section was solidified with musicians Paul Slivka on bass and Jim Hannum on drums. The 3-piece band quickly became regulars on the mid-Atlantic music scene, consistently filling night clubs to capacity. Their rise in the local music scene included a TV simulcast from Veterans Stadium on Labor Day in 1986.

The Rumblers’ lineup expanded that year with the addition of rhythm guitarist Chris Day, and keyboardist, Rob Miller. Soon after, the new 5-man band went into the studio to record their first independent regional release called “Walkin’ on the Water.” The LP sold over 70,000 copies and received heavy airplay on Philadelphia radio, as well as on numerous album-oriented rock and college stations across the country. 

Heavy radio airplay supported the band as the premiere live draw in the club circuit, establishing Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers as a must-see band in Philadelphia’s vibrant local music scene.

In 1987, the band’s national recognition increased with a Rolling Stone article feature profiling the music industry’s fervor in courting Philly’s Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers and L.A.’s Jane’s Addiction, two up-and-coming music acts.

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers signed with Columbia Records, releasing their major-label debut, “Rumble,” in 1988. The Young Rumblers received media exposure via radio airplay, live performances, MTV, Europe’s Music Television, appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, the Arsenio Hall Show and the American Music Awards.

“I'm Not Your Man," the first single released on "Rumble,” became a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks in the first week of October 1988. 

After a tour of Europe in the spring of 1989, the local hype reached its peak when the band returned to the U.S for eight sold-out shows in Philadelphia at the Theatre of the Living Arts on South Street in April. The band also toured Japan in the fall.

“Rumble” was followed up by “Guitar Trouble” from Sony in 1990, an album that didn’t do as well as its predecessor--before long the Young Rumblers disbanded.

While the band played together sporadically in the early 2000s, the original five-man line-up (Tommy, Jim, Paul, Chris and Rob) performed in 2010 for the first time in the Philadelphia city limits since the early 90s. Despite the event being the band's first Philly headliner in nearly 15 years, TCYR rocked to a sold-out audience!

In 2019, the band released their first album in 30 years called, “Showboats and Grandstanders”—made possible by TCYR fans through a crowdfunding campaign. 

The original 5-man lineup of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers—Tommy Conwell, Paul Slivka, Jim Hannum, Chris Day and Rob Miller—are often lauded as one of the best live rock ‘n’ roll bands playing today. They perform with pure rock star energy, and with the talent, enthusiasm, and a swagger capable of humbling any band from this or any other era. 

 

Draft 2  (Word count: 602)

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers are an American rock band from Philadelphia who are renowned for their high-energy and bluesy, rock and roll live performances.

Guitar player and vocalist Tommy Conwell formed the Young Rumblers in February 1984. By that fall, the rhythm section was solidified with musicians Paul Slivka on bass and Jim Hannum on drums. The 3-piece band quickly became regulars on the mid-Atlantic music scene, consistently filling night clubs to capacity. Their rise in the local music scene included a TV simulcast from Veterans Stadium on Labor Day in 1986.

The Rumblers’ lineup expanded that year with the addition of rhythm guitarist Chris Day, and keyboardist, Rob Miller. Soon after, the new 5-man band went into the studio to record their first independent regional release called “Walkin’ on the Water.” The LP sold over 70,000 copies and received heavy airplay on Philadelphia radio, as well as on numerous album-oriented rock and college stations across the country. 

Heavy radio airplay supported the band as the premiere live draw in the club circuit, establishing Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers as a must-see band in Philadelphia’s vibrant local music scene.

In 1987, the band’s national recognition increased with a Rolling Stone article feature profiling the music industry’s fervor in courting Philly’s Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers and L.A.’s Jane’s Addiction, two up-and-coming music acts.

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers signed with Columbia Records, releasing their major-label debut, “Rumble,” in 1988. The Young Rumblers received media exposure via radio airplay, live performances, MTV, Europe’s Music Television, appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, the Arsenio Hall Show and the American Music Awards.

“I'm Not Your Man," the first single released on "Rumble,” became a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks in the first week of October 1988. 

After a tour of Europe in the spring of 1989, the local hype reached its peak when the band returned to the U.S for eight sold-out shows in Philadelphia at the Theatre of the Living Arts on South Street in April. The band also toured Japan in the fall.

Sony’s subsequent purchase of Columbia/CBS in the early 90s affected the Rumblers' label relations. By the time “Guitar Trouble” was released in 1990, lukewarm support from the label meant a poor selling result for the album. This despite positive reviews on Conwell’s songwriting, especially for the single, “I’m Seventeen,” which received a solid response from radio stations but failed to chart. 

Conwell's recording contract was dropped by Sony in 1991. By 1992, he was released from a subsequent label, and with no recording contract signings imminent, the band ended. 

In the 90s, the band members went on to other endeavors including session musician work, third-grade teacher and a radio DJ!

While the band played together sporadically in the early 2000s, the original five-man line-up (Tommy, Jim, Paul, Chris and Rob) performed in 2010 for the first time in the Philadelphia city limits since the early 90s. Despite the event being the band's first Philly headliner in nearly 15 years, TCYR rocked to a sold-out audience!

In 2019, TCYR released their first album in 30 years called, “Showboats and Grandstanders”—made possible by TCYR fans through a crowdfunding campaign. 

The original 5-man lineup of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers—Tommy Conwell, Paul Slivka, Jim Hannum, Chris Day and Rob Miller—are often lauded as one of the best live rock n roll bands playing today. They perform with pure rock star energy, and with the talent, enthusiasm, and a swagger capable of humbling any band from this or any other era.