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Tom Bernett, CLVS
(Certified Legal Video Specialist)
Independent Producer
Drummer/Vocalist

Tom Bernett started out in northwestern Indiana doing lots of artsy/musicy stuff in high school a long, long time ago. That included a dozen years as a drum and bugle corps fanatic, learning the fine art of precision rudimental drumming.

A high school cooperative education program led to a graphics job as a technical illustrator at Whirlpool Corporation with evenings spent playing jazz drums for twenty bucks a night in various seedy establishments throughout northern Indiana, southwestern Michigan, and south Chicago. (Yes, Tom Bernett is a "Region Rat")

Following a short hitch in the Navy, mostly playing drums, he became a traveling musician for a couple years before finally getting serious in applied percussion at Eastern Kentucky University. The following fifteen years were spent "on the road" working as a jazz and show drummer and a singer.

After touring with numerous self-contained show bands, the end of the 1970s culminated in Chicago with great gigs as a staff drummer in the pit orchestras of a major celebrity theater and a suburban dinner theater, as well as many studio dates for advertising projects.

In 1981, he moved to Minneapolis to take advantage of an opportunity to start his own music contracting company, eventually employing 35 working musicians.

Then, in 1987 after almost 20 years dedicated to professional performing, he found that his recording studio/advertising connections were leading to more and more production and ad creation work, which led to the building of his first recording studio. Before long, video production was added to the business. The mid-80s entry of the computer age was thrown into the mix, which led to the opportunity to create award-winning corporate video presentation.

Finally, he has returned to his musical roots on a full-time basis, performing with numerous Carolina musical groups, including his own 9-piece swing band, Swing Street.

Today, Tom lives in the golf mecca of Southern Pines, North Carolina with his wonderful wife, Mary Lou, where they enjoy year-round golf (she wins) and many other activities.

Both widowed at relatively young ages, Tom and Mary Lou met through an on-line grief support group called WidowNet, and were married in August 2001. They relocated to North Carolina in June 2003 for a fresh start as newlyweds.

Collectively, they have three adult children (TJ Leavell, Steve Leavell, and Laura Bernett) and are the well-trained owners of Molly the Wonder Westie.

The unique story of Tom and Mary Lou's chance, on-line meeting, and the many magically coincidental connections that drew them together, are the basis of a fascinating motivational presentation that they offer to various community organizations and support groups who are interested in their life-altering experiences.

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