Where Did the Name “Star Tom” Come From?
A lot of people wonder why I’m called Star Tom. No, it’s not my “real” name. In real life I’m Tom McCurry (Thomas Luther Becklund McCurry, to be truly complete about it ;-) And, no, it’s not about being a big star or the center of attention or anything like that. Anyone who knows me long realizes that such sentiments are not me, at all! The name “Star Tom” was given to me by my soon-to-be-stepson, Max, when he was two years old.
None of us know exactly why Max decided to call me Star Tom. I was a college student, not a performing musician. It’s possible that he had seen me on stage once by then, but I’m doubtful even about that. Perhaps it’s because in college I wore a wizard pendant with stars on it. More likely, it’s just one of those things that two-year-olds do, naming people and things in ways that work for them.
It All Started with This Boy
The way it happened was like this: One day Max was telling his mother a story about “Tom.” This was confusing because (small world alert) there was a man living in the same apartment complex, who had kids in school with Max, named Tom Courry. As the story went on, his Mom became more confused, and asked him which Tom he was talking about. With some exasperation, Max declared, “You know. STAR Tom!”
When I was preparing my career launch as a full time musician, friends and advisors insisted that I needed a stage name. I thought it was good advice, since “Tom McCurry” isn’t particularly memorable. So it wasn’t too hard to go with the name given to me by a two-year-old… and it’s perfect because I work with more two-year-olds than any other single age. Besides, we are all stardust (read and see), which is both poetic and symbolic of how much we have in common - all sentiments which are very, very Star Tom.
