Photo: rocksoldier1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Tom Petersson was born on May 9, 1950 in Rockford, Illinois, United States and is credited as a musician, songwriter and singer-songwriter. That puts Tom Petersson at 76 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Guilford High School.
My Take
As the bassist for Cheap Trick, Tom Petersson built the thick foundation under one of rock's most enduring catalogs, and I respect that role enormously. What wins me over is his devotion to the twelve-string bass, a gloriously eccentric instrument he wielded to make the low end roar rather than merely rumble. That refusal to settle for the ordinary four strings says everything about his musicianship. Cheap Trick's legendary Budokan moment also ties him to Japan in a special way. Front men get the glory, but the backbone of a band lives in players like Petersson, and I find that quietly heroic.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Tom Petersson
- Name (Japanese)
- トム・ピーターソン
- Reading
- とむ・ぴーたーそん
- Born
- May 9, 1950 (age 76)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Tiger
- Origin
- Rockford, Illinois, United States
- Occupation
- musician / songwriter / singer-songwriter
2. Background
- High school
- Guilford High School
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%20Petersson
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3992519
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Tom Petersson born?
Born May 9, 1950 (age 76).
Where is Tom Petersson from?
Tom Petersson is from Rockford, Illinois, United States.
What does Tom Petersson do?
Tom Petersson works as musician, songwriter, singer-songwriter.
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