- Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan

40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT & CELEBRATION

Was held at The Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara CA, on 10/26/19.

Huge shout-out of thanks to the sold-out crowd!

Flying Fish / Rounder recording artists Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan have been bringing their unique blend of guitar and harmonica blues, rags and good time music to widely diverse audiences for 47 years. Their live performances include concerts, clubs and festivals all over the world, and they were the only musical act in America to play all four venues of the 1984 Olympic Games.

Together and separately they have worked on countless film scores, TV soundtracks, commercials and sessions. They've appeared on television internationally, were featured on the "Levi's 501 Blues" commercials, have played for audiences of 300 million via Voice of America and are frequent guests of National Public Radio. In addition to working with Kenny, Tom has 300 CD credits... and Kenny was recently honored by Martin Guitars with his own Signature Model 00018KS.

Their eight duo albums (and eight solo albums) have garnered critical acclaim throughout the world, and their music from the film "Over The Edge" won the duo the prestigious Telly Award in 1994.

At home wherever they go, Tom and Kenny fit in at blues, folk, bluegrass and jazz festivals, and their extensive teaching backgrounds make them a natural choice for college campuses or venues that feature workshops. Because their music is a blend of American roots styles, they are regulars overseas, drawing rave reviews.

Please take a moment to peruse this site and become acquainted with the duo that has been called, "America's Good Time Blues Ambassadors."

And please click the links at the top of this page to navigate this site. Thanks for visiting!

photo by Kimberly Clarke Citro

What others are saying about Tom & Kenny:

Blues Revue: "Stupendous playing."

Sing Out: "As good as anyone in acoustic blues."

L.A. Times: "These guys are great."

Long Beach News: "There's nothing here that's less than jaw-dropping perfect."

Cash Box: "Feature pick - first rate."

WIKX-FM: "(Double Vision is) the best album of the last 30 years!"

Folk Roots (England): "Consummate musicians."

Vintage Guitar: "What's not to like, I ask you?!"

Option: "Exceptional... remarkable."

San Diego Folk Notes: "These guys were fantastic!"

Blues Matters (England): "Absolute joy!"

Night Light: "Their mojo is working like a Swiss watch!"

Acoustic Musician: "Deliciously fun to watch and listen to."

Living Blues: "Irrepressible... a unique style and a sly attitude."

Cadence: "A musical distraction of the first degree."

Goldmine: "Superb, knowledgeable and eclectic."

National Public Radio: "GIMMEE Award Winner - Album Of The Year."

L.A. Weekly: "Unique and delightful, with whoops and hollers for all."

Wood River Journal: "Dynamic duo."

Victory Review: "Immensely likable... flawless, yet gloriously bawdy."

Bluegrass Unlimited: "If there was a rent party going on, I'd want these guys there."

S.B. News & Review: “Some of the most authentic hard-driving, technically advanced blues-rooted music anywhere.”

Sound Choice: "The best acoustic blues act going, bar none!"

Dirty Linen: "Continued mastery of the blues duo genre."

Il Blues (Italy:) "Buono!"

Etta James: "Who says a white boy from Pacific Palisades can't play the blues?"

Acoustic Guitar: "Somewhere, Sonny and Brownie are smiling."

Films and TV shows that have featured Tom and/or Kenny's music:

"Saturday Night Live"

"Pawn Stars"

"The Distinguished Gentleman"

"Dancing With the Stars"

"Hoot"

"The Simple Life"

"Handcrafted America"

"Walkabout"

"Over The Edge"

"Swamp People"

"Tiny House, Big Living"

"Bizarre Foods, Delicious Destinations"

"Root Sports"

"Spreading Darkness"

"Shetland Lone Star"

"Next Great American Band"

"Kicking And Screaming"

"L'epicerie"

"Seraphonium - Live!"

"Biography"

"Labor Of Love - The Arlette Schweitzer Story"

"NFL Football"

"Free Your Mind"

"Road to the Olympic Games"

"12 Bucks"

"King Of The Hill"

"Golf Advisor Round Trip"

"P.O.V.: Tobacco Blues"

"Wife Swap"

"The Day Tripper"

"Soup"

"Southern Fried Homicide"

"Invasion of the Freedom Snatchers"

"NASCAR Race Hub"

"Sportsman MacMillan"

"Do You Wanna Dance?"

"Dr. K's Exotic Animal ER"

"Camera Tout Terrain"

"Beverly Hills Family Robinson"

"E - True Hollywood Story"

"Johnny Bago"

"FOX College Football"

"Arden's Garden Acoustic Concert Series"
"Beyond The Glory"

"Chopped"

"Wrongside Bob"

"Mythbusters"

"Chopped Junior"

"Tout le Monde en Parlait"

"Rupert's Land"

"Diesel Brothers"

"Tales of Appalachia"

"Huey's Cooking Adventures"

"Brockmire"

"Carnival Eats"

"Aerial America"

"Tous Pour un Chalet"

"Bizarre Foods"

"EXO's Ladder"

"Building Alaska"

"Outdoor Life"

"In Town and Out"

"Crush With Lee and Tiffany"

"Bitchin' Rides"

"Norman's Rare Guitars Documentary"

"State Plate"

"This Week in WWE"

"Huey's Greatest Hits"

"Aerial Cities"

"Hide 'N' Snake"

"Maine Cabin Buiilders"

"Mercante Soiree"

"Somebody Feed Phil"

"Telejournal"

"Australia - More Than The Outback"

"Tigger and Pooh and a Musical Too"

"Les Semaine Verte"

"Food Paradise"

"MeatEater"

"Rad"

"Delicious Destinations"

"Scott's Vacation House Rules"

"Kindig Customs"

"Maine Cabin Masters"

"Monty Don's American Gardens"

"Take Out"

"Church Kids Gone Wild"

"203"

CBS and NBC Movies Of The Week

...and more.

Further info and stories on Tom & Kenny:

TOM on Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast (episode 54) with Neil Warren (2022)

INTERVIEW with TOM about the duo, on CountryBlues.com (2019)

INTERVIEW with KENNY in Santa Ynez Valley Buzz: (2026)

https://syvbuzz.com/post/2026-04-22/kenny-sultan-interview

KENNY in Vintage Guitar (2011)

TOM in Harmonica World (2015)

TOM & KENNY in Mix Magazine (2015)

TOM & KENNY in Noozhawk (2012)

TOM in Harmonica.com (2014)

TOM & KENNY in Santa Ynez Valley Journal (2011)

TOM & KENNY in Blues Matters (England) (2010)

TOM & KENNY in Seasons (2010)

TOM & KENNY in the L.A. Times (1991)

LESSONS:

For those of you who live near Santa Barbara or plan a visit, both Tom and Kenny teach private lessons (Kenny on guitar, Tom on diatonic harp.) Feel free to email either Tom or Kenny for rates and availability.

TO BUY PRODUCT:

Please note that all CDs, books, videos, etc, are also available by mail order directly from Tom & Kenny, and at prices probably less than what your friendly neighborhood web store might charge! The boys are also happy to sign and/or personalize any of these products. For information please feel free to Email either Tom at havaball@cox.net or Kenny at kennysultan (at) aol (dot) com

TOM & KENNY are equally at home as a headliner or as an opening act and over the years have shared the stage with some of the best, including: Mose Allison, the Allman Brothers, Dave Alvin, Asleep at the Wheel, Austin Lounge Lizards, the Beach Boys, Pierre Bensusan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Elvin Bishop, Norman Blake, Bobby "Blue" Bland, the Blues Brothers, Paul Brady, David Bromberg, Lonnie Brooks, Charles Brown, Gatemouth Brown, Ruth Brown, Jackson Browne, Eric Burdon, Solomon Burke, Sam Bush, Roseanne Cash, Ray Charles, Clifton Chenier, the Coasters, Joe Cocker, Ry Cooder, Albert Collins, Bootsy Collins, Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin, Johnny Copeland, Elvis Costello, James Cotton, Robert Cray, Pee Wee Crayton, Papa John Creach, R. Crumb & the Cheap Suit Serenaders, Country Gazette, Bo Diddley, the Dillards, Willie Dixon, Donovan, Jerry Douglas, Bob Dylan, Snooks Eaglin, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Marianne Faithfull, Freddy Fender, the Five Blind Boys, Bela Fleck, Mick Fleetwood, Lowell Fulson, Vince Gill, Al Green, Peter Green, Nanci Griffith, David Grisman, John Hammond, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Jeff Healy, Don Henley, Dan Hicks, Earl Hooker, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Hot Rize, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Etta James, Keb Mo', Chaka Khan, Albert King, B.B. King, Ben E. King, the Kingston Trio, King Sunny Ade, Leo Kottke, Alison Krauss, Fela Kuti, Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur, Jonny Lang, Larkin Poe, Leftover Salmon, Laurie Lewis, the Limeliters, David Lindley, Little Feat, Little Milton, Living Color, Kenny Loggins, Los Lobos, Charlie Louvin, Lyle Lovett, Rose Maddox, Taj Mahal, Kathy Mattea, John Mayall, Percy Mayfield, Del McCoury, Michael McDonald, Brownie McGhee, Jay McShann, Jim Messina, Long Gone Miles, Bill Monroe, Van Morrison, Maria Muldaur, Charlie Musselwhite, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, the Neville Brothers, Newgrass Revival, Randy Newman, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, NRBQ, Tim & Mollie O'Brien, Maura O'Connell, Mark O'Connor, Johnny Otis, Tom Paxton, Ross Perot, Peter, Paul & Mary, Iggy Pop, Lloyd Price, John Prine, Snooky Pryor, Flora Purim & Airto, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Rawls, Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Earl Scruggs, Son Seals, the Seldom Scene, Paul Simon, Simple Minds, Ricky Skaggs, G.E. Smith, George "Harmonica" Smith, the Soul Stirrers, Mavis Staples, Marty Stuart, Koko Taylor, the Temptations, Paul Thorn, George Thorogood, Toto, Tower of Power, Big Joe Turner, Dave Van Ronk, Townes Van Zandt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Jr. Walker and the All Stars, Phillip Walker, Doc & Merle Watson, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Junior Wells, Jimmy Witherspoon, Stevie Wonder and many more...

photo by Larry Sultan

with our pal Jody Eulitz on electronically-amplified Castrol GTX 40-weight motor-oil cardboard corrugated gift carton