Changes

Even before he went into the Marines, Tomlinson had worked sporadically in music, for a time with Hank Williams, Sr., who died in 1953, when Tomlinson was still in the military. After his military years, Tomlinson began playing his Gretsch guitar in 1954 as back-up for musicians of the Louisiana Hayride, sponsored by KWKH [[radio]] in [[Shreveport]]. He joined Johnny Horton with such hits as "The Battle of New Orleans'' and "North to Alaska."<ref name=hmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=11263|title=Tommy Tomlinson|publisher=hillbilly-music.com|accessdate=July 1, 2015}}</ref> On May 31, 1959, Tomlinson, Horton, and  Tillman Franks of Shreveport, dressed in frontier clothing, performed "The Battle of New Orleans" on [[CBS]]'s ''The Ed Sullivan Show]'.<ref name=rockabilly/>

Even before he went into the Marines, Tomlinson had worked sporadically in music, for a time with Hank Williams, Sr., who died in 1953, when Tomlinson was still in the military. After his military years, Tomlinson began playing his Gretsch guitar in 1954 as back-up for musicians of the Louisiana Hayride, sponsored by KWKH [[radio]] in [[Shreveport]]. He joined Johnny Horton with such hits as "The Battle of New Orleans'' and "North to Alaska."<ref name=hmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=11263|title=Tommy Tomlinson|publisher=hillbilly-music.com|accessdate=July 1, 2015}}</ref> On May 31, 1959, Tomlinson, Horton, and  Tillman Franks of Shreveport, dressed in frontier clothing, performed "The Battle of New Orleans" on [[CBS]]'s ''The Ed Sullivan Show]'.<ref name=rockabilly/>

He was a songwriter for Johnny Horton ("You're My Baby") and for [[Dolly Parton]] and Norma Jean ("Heaven's Just A Prayer Away").<ref name=hmusic/> When Horton took a break on stage, Tomlinson often played such selections as "Wildwood Flower" and "Honky Tonk." In 1962, he worked with Claude King who was climbing the charts with "Wolverton Mountain" and, in August 1963, he backed David Houston, who also lived for a time in Minden, Louisiana, with "Mountain of Love."<ref name=rockabilly/>

He was a songwriter for Johnny Horton ("You're My Baby") and for Dolly Parton and Norma Jean ("Heaven's Just A Prayer Away").<ref name=hmusic/> When Horton took a break on stage, Tomlinson often played such selections as "Wildwood Flower" and "Honky Tonk." In 1962, he worked with Claude King who was climbing the charts with "Wolverton Mountain" and, in August 1963, he backed David Houston, who also lived for a time in Minden, Louisiana, with "Mountain of Love."<ref name=rockabilly/>

Prior to the 1960 accident, Tomlinson had returned from [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], where he had taped four instrumental albums for Mercury Records with Jerry Kennedy of Shreveport. The albums titled "Tom & Jerry," cover all genres of music, also included [Boots Randolph. The songs on the albums include "Sugar-Foot Rag," "My Blue Heaven," and "Unchain My Heart." The first single from the album, released in August 1961, was "Wildwood Flower".<ref name=rockabilly/>

Prior to the 1960 accident, Tomlinson had returned from [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], where he had taped four instrumental albums for Mercury Records with Jerry Kennedy of Shreveport. The albums titled "Tom & Jerry," cover all genres of music, also included [Boots Randolph. The songs on the albums include "Sugar-Foot Rag," "My Blue Heaven," and "Unchain My Heart." The first single from the album, released in August 1961, was "Wildwood Flower".<ref name=rockabilly/>