Career Timeline of Tom Waits: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Tom Waits built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Tom Waits is an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor known for his distinctive deep, gravelly voice and his lyrical focus on marginalized individuals. Emerging from the 1970s folk scene, his music evolved to incorporate diverse genres like rock, jazz, blues, opera, vaudeville, cabaret, funk, and experimental sounds. He's lauded as a chronicler of the downtrodden, creating complex characters capable of surprising insights. His voice, often described as bourbon-soaked and gravelly, is a signature element of his artistic style.
1969: Hired at the Heritage Coffeehouse
In 1969, Tom Waits was hired as a doorman at the Heritage coffeehouse. He started performing there, initially singing covers before introducing his original songs.
1971: Recordings released 20 years later
In 1971, Tom Waits recorded several pre-Asylum Records recordings. These recording were later released in 1991 as "Tom Waits: The Early Years, Vol. 1", which angered Waits.
1971: Attention of Herb Cohen
In the autumn of 1971, Tom Waits caught the attention of Herb Cohen at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, leading to publishing and recording contracts.
1972: Move to Los Angeles
In 1972, Tom Waits moved to Los Angeles and worked as a songwriter before securing a recording contract with Asylum Records.
March 1973: Release of Closing Time
In March 1973, Tom Waits released his debut album, "Closing Time", on Asylum Records. Despite attracting little initial attention, it marked the beginning of his professional recording career.
1973: Debut Album Release
In 1973, Tom Waits released his debut album, "Closing Time", on Asylum Records. The album marked the beginning of his professional music career.
October 1974: Headline Act Performance and Meeting Bette Midler
In October 1974, Tom Waits first performed as the headline act and toured the East Coast. He met and befriended Bette Midler in New York City, starting a sporadic affair with her.
1974: Release of "The Heart of Saturday Night"
In 1974, Tom Waits released "The Heart of Saturday Night". This album followed his debut and continued to showcase his developing style.
1974: Performances Around the West Coast and Second Album Production
In early 1974, Tom Waits performed around the West Coast, getting as far as Denver. He also started working on his second album, with Bones Howe chosen as the producer due to his jazz background and connection to Jack Kerouac.
October 1975: Release of "Nighthawks at the Diner"
In October 1975, Tom Waits released "Nighthawks at the Diner", a live album recorded at the Record Plant Studio. The cover and title were inspired by Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" painting.
1975: Release of "Nighthawks at the Diner"
In 1975, Tom Waits released "Nighthawks at the Diner". This album continued his exploration of jazz-influenced storytelling.
May 1976: European Tour
In May 1976, Tom Waits embarked on his first tour of Europe, performing in cities such as London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Copenhagen. The tour was preceded by a US tour where he told interviewers he was drinking too much alcohol.
July 1976: Recording of Small Change
In July 1976, Tom Waits recorded "Small Change". He considered it a seminal episode in his development as a songwriter when he became completely confident in his craft.
1976: Release of Small Change
In 1976, Tom Waits achieved greater critical and commercial success with the release of his album Small Change. The album broadened his audience and solidified his reputation.
August 1977: Recording Foreign Affairs
In August 1977, Tom Waits recorded his fourth studio album, Foreign Affairs, with Bob Alcivar as the arranger. The album was not as well-received as its predecessor, Small Change, and failed to make the Billboard Top 100 album chart.
October 1977: Touring with the Nocturnal Emissions
In October 1977, Tom Waits returned to touring with the Nocturnal Emissions. This tour marked the first time he used props onstage, specifically a street lamp, which he found exhausting.
1977: Touring Japan
Tom Waits began 1977 by touring Japan for the first time. He was promoting the new album, backed by the Nocturnal Emissions.
March 1978: Second Tour of Japan
In March 1978, Tom Waits embarked on his second tour of Japan, furthering his international exposure.
July 1978: Recording Blue Valentine
In July 1978, Tom Waits began recording sessions for Blue Valentine. During the sessions, he replaced his musicians to create a less jazz-oriented sound and switched from piano to electric guitar as his main instrument. He also used a picture of himself and Rickie Lee Jones leaning against his 1964 Ford Thunderbird for the album's back cover.
1978: Entering the World of Film and Meeting Kathleen Brennan
In 1978, Tom Waits entered the world of film and met Kathleen Brennan, who would later become his wife and frequent collaborator. Also in 1978 he released the album Blue Valentine.
1978: Film Debut in Paradise Alley
In 1978, Tom Waits made his film debut as a drunken piano player in Sylvester Stallone's Paradise Alley. He also began writing a movie musical with Paul Hampton, though the project never materialized. Additionally, he started working on a book about entertainers he admired.
1979: Tom Waits For No One Music Video
In 1979, a rotoscoped Tom Waits performed "The One That Got Away" in the music video Tom Waits For No One.
October 1980: Soundtrack Recording Begins
In October 1980, recording began for Tom Waits's soundtrack to the film One from the Heart. The tracks were recorded as duets with Crystal Gayle after Bette Midler proved unavailable.
1980: Release of Heartattack and Vine
In 1980, Tom Waits experienced further critical and commercial success with the release of "Heartattack and Vine", continuing his music career.
September 1981: Soundtrack Recording Ends
In September 1981, Tom Waits concluded the recording of the soundtrack for Francis Ford Coppola's film One from the Heart. Several tracks were recorded as duets with Crystal Gayle.
1982: Collaboration on 'One From the Heart'
In 1982, Tom Waits collaborated with Crystal Gayle on the soundtrack for Francis Ford Coppola’s movie "One From the Heart". Additionally, he made cameo appearances in several of Coppola's films.
1982: Release of One from the Heart
In 1982, the film One from the Heart, featuring a soundtrack by Tom Waits, was released to largely poor reviews. Waits also made a cameo as a trumpet player in a crowd scene. The soundtrack album was released by Columbia Records.
1983: Film Appearances and Birth of Daughter
In 1983, Tom Waits appeared in three Francis Ford Coppola films: Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, and The Cotton Club. In September 1983, his daughter, Kellesimone, was born. Waits and his family moved to New York City to be closer to Brennan's parents and Island's U.S. office.
1983: Release of Swordfishtrombones
In 1983, Tom Waits released "Swordfishtrombones", the first album in a trilogy that showcased a more eclectic and experimental sound influenced by Harry Partch and Captain Beefheart.
1985: Release of Rain Dogs
In 1985, Tom Waits continued to explore his experimental sound with the release of "Rain Dogs", the second album in his trilogy.
1985: Recording Rain Dogs and Songwriter of the Year
In 1985, Tom Waits recorded Rain Dogs at RCA Studios, featuring Keith Richards and marking Marc Ribot's debut as a session guitarist. Rolling Stone named Waits its "Songwriter of the Year." Jean-Baptiste Mondino directed a music video of "Downtown Train" featuring boxer Jake LaMotta.
1985: Franks Wild Years Musical Agreement
In late 1985, Tom Waits reached an agreement for his musical, Franks Wild Years, based on the song from Swordfishtrombones, to be performed by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago's Briar Street Theatre, with Waits starring as Frank.
1986: Role in Candy Mountain
In 1986, Tom Waits took a small part in Candy Mountain, playing Al Silk, a millionaire golf enthusiast, adding to his acting portfolio.
1987: Appearance on Elvis Costello's Tour
In 1987, Tom Waits appeared as a master of ceremonies on several dates of Elvis Costello's "Wheel of Fortune" tour, showcasing his versatility and respect within the music community.
1987: Release of Franks Wild Years
In 1987, Tom Waits concluded his experimental trilogy with the release of "Franks Wild Years", further solidifying his unique musical direction.
1987: Franks Wild Years Album Release
In 1987, Tom Waits's ninth studio album, Franks Wild Years, was released by Island Records. The songs were recorded from the show, and it was Waits's first collaboration with David Hidalgo.
1987: Return to Los Angeles
In Fall 1987, Tom Waits and his family left New York and returned to Los Angeles, settling on Union Avenue. He also appeared as a hitman in Robert Dornhelm's Cold Feet and lent his voice to Jarmusch's Mystery Train.
1988: Big Time Concert Film
In 1988, two of Tom Waits's performances were the basis for Chris Blum's concert film, Big Time, showcasing his live performances.
May 1989: Collaboration on The Black Rider
In May 1989, Tom Waits traveled to Hamburg, Germany, to work on "The Black Rider" project with Robert Wilson, a "cowboy opera" based on the German folk tale Freischütz, Waits was later joined there by William S. Burroughs, who was contributing lyrics at the suggestion of Allen Ginsberg.
December 1989: Los Angeles Theatre Center Production
In December 1989, Tom Waits began a stint as Curly, a mobster's son, in Thomas Babe's play Demon Wine at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.
March 1990: The Black Rider Debut
In March 1990, The Black Rider, a collaboration between Tom Waits, Robert Wilson, and William S. Burroughs, debuted at Hamburg's Thalia Theater, marking a significant moment in Waits's career involving theater and music. Carl Maria von Weber's opera Der Freischütz (1821) inspired the opera.
1990: Collaboration on 'The Black Rider'
In 1990, Tom Waits collaborated with theater director Robert Wilson on the musical The Black Rider, which resulted in an album of the same name.
1990: Film Appearance
In 1990, Tom Waits made a brief appearance as a plainclothes cop in the film The Two Jakes.
1991: Move to Sonoma and Release of Early Recordings
In 1991, Tom Waits and his family moved to the outskirts of Sonoma, and later to Valley Ford. Also in 1991, 13 of his 1971 pre-Asylum Records recordings were released as Tom Waits: The Early Years, Vol. 1, which angered Waits.
1991: Film Appearances
In 1991, Tom Waits played a disabled war veteran in Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King. He also had a cameo in Steve Rash's Queens Logic and played a pilot-for-hire in Héctor Babenco's At Play in the Fields of the Lord. He also appeared as himself fishing with John Lurie on Fishing with John.
August 1992: Release of Bone Machine
In August 1992, Tom Waits released his tenth studio album, Bone Machine. The album, recorded in an old storage room at Prairie Sun, explored "more machinery sounds" and featured eight tracks co-written with Kathleen Brennan. The cover was co-designed by Waits and Jesse Dylan. The album went on to win a Grammy Award.
December 1992: Premiere of Alice
In December 1992, Alice, an operatic treatment of Lewis Carroll's relationship with Alice Liddell, premiered at the Thalia Theater. Tom Waits characterized the songs he wrote for the play as "adult songs for children, or children's songs for adults".
1992: Collaboration on 'Alice' and Grammy Win for 'Bone Machine'
In 1992, Tom Waits collaborated with Robert Wilson on the musical "Alice". Also in 1992, Waits won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album for "Bone Machine."
1992: Film Appearance
In 1992, Tom Waits played Renfield in Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula.
1993: Film Appearance in Short Cuts
In 1993, Tom Waits starred as Earl Piggot, an alcoholic limousine driver, in Robert Altman's Short Cuts, a performance described as possibly his best as an actor.
1993: Release of Early Recordings Vol. 2
In 1993, a second volume of Tom Waits's 1971 recordings, titled Tom Waits: The Early Years, Vol. 2, was released, further adding to Waits's discontent with the release of his early demos.
1993: Release of The Black Rider Album
In the fall of 1993, Tom Waits released an album of the songs written for The Black Rider, recorded at Los Angeles's Sunset Sound Factory.
1995: Soundtrack contribution for Dead Man Walking
In 1995, Tom Waits wrote "Walk Away" and "The Fall of Troy" for the soundtrack of Dead Man Walking.
February 1996: Benefit Performance
In February 1996, Tom Waits held a benefit performance to raise funds for the legal defense of his friend Don Hyde, who had been charged with distributing LSD.
1997: Soundtrack contribution for The End of Violence
In 1997, Tom Waits wrote "Little Drop of Poison" for the soundtrack of The End of Violence.
June 1998: Recording of Mule Variations
Starting in June 1998, Tom Waits began recording tracks for Mule Variations at Prairie Sun, which explored themes of rural life in the United States and were influenced by early blues recordings made by Alan Lomax.
1998: Release of Beautiful Maladies
In 1998, Island released Beautiful Maladies, a compilation of 23 Tom Waits tracks selected by Waits himself from his albums with the company.
March 1999: Live Show and VH1 Storytellers Appearance
In March 1999, Tom Waits gave his first live show in three years at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest festival. He also appeared in an episode of VH1 Storytellers.
March 1999: Release of Mule Variations
In March 1999, Tom Waits released Mule Variations on Anti-. The tracks on the album dealt with themes involving rural life in the United States. The album reached number 30 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and won a Grammy Award.
1999: Grammy Win for Mule Variations
In 1999, Tom Waits won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album for "Mule Variations", adding to his accolades.
November 2000: Woyzeck Adaptation
In November 2000, Tom Waits's songs for Robert Wilson's adaptation of Georg Büchner's Woyzeck were scheduled to debut at the Betty Nansen Theater in Copenhagen. Waits traveled to Copenhagen in October for rehearsals.
2000: Collaboration on Woyzeck
In 2000, Tom Waits reunited with Robert Wilson for the musical "Woyzeck", further exploring his theatrical collaborations.
2002: Release of Alice and Blood Money
In 2002, Tom Waits released the albums "Alice" and "Blood Money", featuring songs from his collaborations with Robert Wilson on the musicals Alice and Woyzeck.
2004: Release of Real Gone
In 2004, Tom Waits released the album "Real Gone", continuing to produce new material and evolve his sound.
2006: Release of Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
In 2006, Tom Waits released the compilation album "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards", showcasing a collection of his varied works.
2006: Orphans Tour and Album Release
In the summer of 2006, Tom Waits embarked on his "Orphans" tour of southern and midwest states, accompanied by his son Casey. Also in 2006, he issued Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards, a three-disc box set of rarities, unreleased tracks, and new compositions.
2007: Film Appearance in Wristcutters: A Love Story
In 2007, Tom Waits was in Wristcutters: A Love Story, performing as an angel posing as a tramp.
2008: Last Tour
Tom Waits has not toured since 2008. Since then, he has made isolated appearances guesting at concerts and special events.
2009: Release of Glitter and Doom Live
In 2009, Tom Waits released the live album "Glitter and Doom Live", capturing his performance energy and unique stage presence.
2011: Release of Bad as Me
In 2011, Tom Waits released the album "Bad as Me", marking his most recent studio album release to date.
2014: The Tempest production features Waits and Brennan's songs
In 2014, Aaron Posner and Teller directed a production of Shakespeare's The Tempest that featured songs by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan.
2025: "Come On Up To The House" featured in Wake Up Dead Man
In 2025, the Tom Waits song "Come On Up To The House" is featured in the end credits of the film Wake Up Dead Man.
Mentioned in this timeline
James Brown an iconic American singer songwriter dancer and musician...
Sylvester Stallone is a highly successful American actor painter and...
The United States of America is a federal republic primarily...
California is a U S state on the Pacific Coast...
Germany officially the Federal Republic of Germany is located in...
Los Angeles California's most populous city and Southern California's hub...
Trending
2 months ago Gas prices fluctuate, affected by state taxes, global factors, and Supreme Court rulings.
1 month ago Cowboys' Draft: 7-Round Mock, Picks Analysis, and 2026 Draft Buzz with Clinton.
Scott Cameron Pelley is a highly accomplished American journalist who has dedicated over three decades to CBS News He gained...
6 months ago OnlyFans Model Bonnie Blue Detained in Bali for 'Bangbus' Tour Stunt.
16 days ago Israeli strike kills top Hamas leader in Gaza; commander confirmed dead.
6 months ago Sky Bet Moves Headquarters to Malta, Evading UK Taxes, Sparks Political Backlash.
Popular
Ken Paxton is an American politician and lawyer serving as...
Graham Cunningham Platner is an American oyster farmer and Marine...
Michael Joseph Jackson the King of Pop was a highly...
William Franklin Graham III known as Franklin Graham is an...
Blackpink is a South Korean girl group formed by YG...
E Jean Carroll is an American journalist author and advice...