Tom Booth, man of God, husband, father, musician.  These are his priorities in life and in being true to those, he has created a work filled with love and joy.

Tom was born in Tucson, Arizona.  He wrote his first song at the age of 13 in reaction to a friend’s death.  He grew up on everything from Beethoven to the Beatles, all played at a maximum volume.  At the age of 17, when everything was falling apart around him, Tom walked into a Catholic Charismatic prayer meeting.  It was there that he learned to pray, read the Bible and use his music to glorify God.

In 1985, after graduating from the University of Arizona with a Bachelors of Art degree in Music, and a minor in Religious Studies and Recording Engineering, he came to St. Timothy’s Catholic Community in Mesa, Arizona.  While celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation with the Rev. Dale Fushek; the new pastor of St. Timothy’s and the Vicar of Worship for the Diocese of Phoenix (currently Vicar General for the Diocese of Phoenix), he was offered a job as one of the two music ministers for the parish.

When Father Dale Fushek sought to begin LIFE TEEN, a youth ministry program centered on the Eucharist and now an international movement, he enlisted the help of youth minister Phil Baniewicz. Tom’s hiring was the last piece of a puzzle that has now been together for 17 years. As Director of Music for LIFE TEEN International, Tom has had a significant role in challenging and changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of teens and their families.

In the years since, Tom has traveled extensively as a concert musician and workshop clinician at music and youth ministry conferences.  He has been commissioned to write (and perform) songs for Mother Teresa (“Prayer of Abandonment”) and the theme song for the youth event during Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis, Missouri in 1999 (“Cry the Gospel”). In the Summer of 2000, Tom was honored to perform on the Papal stage at the Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy for over one million people.

He has twice been named by YOU Magazine as one of the top Catholic music artists.  He was nominated for two awards from the United Catholic Music and Video Association (Unity Awards) for Rock Album of the Year, “Cry the Gospel” and he won for Rock Song of the Year for – “Taste of Heaven.” 

Tom has now composed three #1 hits on the Contemporary Christian Music charts: “I Will Choose Christ” (composed with and recorded by Kathy Troccoli) which also received a Dove Award nomination from the Gospel Music Association, “Nothing is Beyond You” written with his friends Mitch McVicker and the late Rich Mullins (recorded by Amy Grant), and his most recent radio hit, “Love Has a Name” (composed with and recorded by Kathy Troccoli).  

In addition to his soon to be released collection “Change Me,” Tom has 3 other recordings: “Cry the Gospel,” the self-titled “Tom Booth” and “Find Us Ready.”

Tom remains a beloved music minister at St. Timothy’s as well as a member of the faculty at St. Timothy’s Catholic Academy.  As Music Director for LIFE TEEN International, Tom collaborates on the Life Support materials, which are distributed to LIFE TEEN parishes worldwide.  He has authored the article, “Life Teen: A Mass That Became a Youth Ministry Movement” (Pastoral Music, June-July 2000) and has co-authored a book with Fr. Dale Fushek and Phil Baniewicz entitled Plug Into Life, available from Ave Maria Press.

His words and music speak to the heart of those who are searching, and to those who praise and glorify an awesome, loving, and merciful God.  His prayer becomes our prayer whether through the voice of one or that of the entire assembly.  Open your heart to the songs of transformation and challenge in Tom Booth’s latest collection, “Change Me.”

Tom resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife and their children.