Tom Lounges
Host of Midwest BeatTom Lounges has been a radio personality and music journalist since 1979. For the last 43 years, Tom has been reporting on entertainment as a weekly music columnist and feature writer for The Times newspaper.
He was also the owner, publisher and editor of the monthly tri-state entertainment magazine ("Midwest BEAT Magazine") for over two decades, and has written hundreds of celebrity features for numerous national glossy magazines over the decades, including "Scholastic Magazine," "Goldmine," "Relix," "Song Hits," "Word Up!" and others.
Tom wrote "Liner Notes" for over a dozen national albums released via Sony Special Products, including vinyl anthology collections by such iconic artists as Johnny Winter, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Fevertree, The Dixie Cups, The Shirelles, and The Shangra-las.
Tom has hosted and produced his own shows on various commercial radio stations over the years, but switched to public radio in 2012, after being enticed by the creative freedom the NPR format offers to content providers. He had previously worked in public broadcasting as on-camera host and content creator for the early 1990s PBS-TV program, "In Your Mind's Eye," produced by Lakeshore Public Television (WYIN).
Today, Lounges currently hosts and produces two weekly programs on 89.1FM - LAKESHORE PUBLIC MEDIA. Those are the celebrity interview/music program “Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges” (Tuesdays 7-8pm) and the all blues music program, “Midwest BEAT Blues” (Fridays 7-9pm). Listeners can contact Tom directly at: beatboss@aol.com
Tom has earned special recognition awards for his work in the entertainment field and has rubbed elbows with a virtual "Who's Who" of major entertainment figures and top stars over his nearly 50 years in the music and media industry.
He is the president and owner of Tom Lounges Entertainment, LLC which produces entertainment events, books musical talent, and does consultation. A veteran record retailer in Chicagoland since the 1970s, Tom currently is the owner of Tom Lounges Record Bin in downtown Hobart.
Tom has been a guest speaker on music, entertainment, and journalism at various schools and colleges in northwest Indiana and the Chicago areas.
Lounges currently sits on the boards of both the Lake County Public Library Foundation and The Spot Studio Music Foundation, along with heading up the fundraising projects for The Humane Society of Northwest Indiana.
More: http://www.tomlounges.com / https://www.facebook.com/tlounges
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THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL PROGRAM “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”A Flashback to Holiday Memories & Music Shared by Some of Tom’s Celebrity Friends & Past Guests Guests on this special flashback program include:JIM PETERIK (Survivor & Ides of March),ROGER EARL (Foghat), Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. (The Fifth Dimension), RICKY PHILIPS (formerly of Styx ), and GARY U.S. BONDS. -
For this week's 12-19-25 radio program, host and producer Tom Lounges has pulled together a wide variety of Holiday-themed blues tunes from his deep library of songs.This week's program opens up with a brand new holiday single that dropped just this week from the amazing blues woman JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR who will perform for us here in the Region on MARCH 31st at Hobart Art Theater.Some of the artists heard celebrating the holidays on this very special edition of “MIDWEST BEAT BLUES” include -- ETTA JAMES, STEVE CROPPER, LITTLE ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS, LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS, MICHAEL BURK, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD, EDDIE CAMPBELL, BENNY TURNER, CHARLES BROWN, KATIE WEBSTER, KOKO TAYLOR, BUDDY GUY, CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM, and many others. -
ARTISTS INCLUDE: ALBERT COLLINS, TAJ MAHAL, ALBERT KING, KINSEY REPORT, JON SPEAR BAND, BENNY TURNER, SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON, JEFF MASSEY, GARY CLARK JR., GARY MOORE, B.B. KING,MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD, CLASSICAL BLAST, and many others. -
HEART was a first of its kind rock band in the early 1970’s -- a band that could stand toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder with any other hard rock band on the scene -- only it was anchored by two women, two Seattle born and bred sisters who while not necessarily trying to make history and break down barriers in the music business, wound up doing exactly that in hindsight.HEART performs DECEMBER 6th as the Wilson sisters -- ANN & NANCY -- bring their "ROYAL FLUSH TOUR" to the HARD ROCK LIVE stage at HARD ROCK CASINO NORTHERN INDIANA for an 8p.m. concert performance that she said generally runs about two hours and includes a mix of huge hits, deep cut fan favorites, and even a couple of covers.Listen here to TOM LOUNGES' interview with NANCY WILSON -- the co-founder, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter of Heart -- as she talks about dogs, guitars, her long journey through music, being a female empowerment groundbreaker in music, the current HEART tour, and what's coming next. -
In-Studio Musical Guests: THE RELICSThree members -- JIM, BOB and DAVE -- of one of the Region's longest running club and festival bands join show host Tom Lounges in the Lakeshore studio to discuss the secret to their long career, their relatively unknown songwriting output, and their NOVEMBER 30, 2025 first ever holiday concert happening at HOBART ART THEATER -- 230 Main Street -- in downtown Hobart, IN.Hear for the first time ever on radio -- three original RELICS songs, along with some recordings of the band performing classic covers. Online tickets at: www.brickartlive.comPhysical tickets at: Tom Lounges Record Bin - 218 Main St. - Hobart, IN -
For this week's program, host and producer Tom Lounges pulled a wide variety of blues from the deep library he has amassed over the years. Some of the artists heard on this edition of "MIDWEST BEAT BLUES" include — EDDY "The Chief" CLEARWATER, KENNY KINSEY & FUNKY MOJO DADDY, BILLY BRANCH, DON GRIFFIN, JOSEPH "Mojo" MORGANFIEDL & THE MANNISH BOYS, ALBERT COLLINS, PAT TRAVERS RICK DERRINGER, PAUL RODGERS, SAVOY BROWN, KOKO TAYLOR, DURTIS SALGADO, HOWARD & THE WHITE BOYS, DUK TUMATO and a handful of others. -
Midwest Beat Blues host Tom Lounges with a Spooky Spectacular Halloween Special. -
Midwest Beat with host Tom Lounges. -
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The musical guest on this edition of "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges" is LEO SAYER, the global pop sensation behind such major radio hits as “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing,” “The Show Must Go On,” “Thunder In My Heart,” “Long Tall Glasses,” “When I Need You,” and “Giving It All Away,” to name but a few. Check out this program and learn some cool things you didn't know about Leo Sayer.
