Tommy Page

Who is Tommy Page? Yeah, I don’t know either. I sell his pinups at my eBay store and always wondered what he’s about. I know him from an episode of Full House but that’s about it. He never seemed comfortable posing in the teen magazines. I felt like he didn’t really want to be a teen idol. That’s just my opinion from looking at him. What do I know?

Born in New Jersey on May 24, 1970, Thomas Alden Page was a musical dude. I’m not sure of his musical beginning but I do know (according to Wikipedia and IMDB) that he graduated from high school at age 15. How does one do that? Does that mean he’s really smart or just had no life early on and took a lot of extra classes? I’m sure he had to be smart to graduate at 15. Kudos to him. I was cutting class when I was 15. Page enrolled in New York University’s Stern School of Business after high school. So, he was in college at 15 or 16? That’s some Doogie Howser stuff right there. He did drop out of college to focus on his music but eventually went back and graduated in 1997.

Music

While working as a cloakroom attendant at a New York nightclub, Page was able to get his demos played in the rotation at the club. His debut album was released when he was 18. The single A Shoulder To Cry On from that album made him a star in Asia. His sophomore album, which we all know can make or break an artist, was dedicated to his grandma. So sweet. I love this man! It produced the hit I’ll Be Your Everything which was co-written by Jordan Knight and Danny Wood (New Kids on the Block). Page was now number one in the U.S. with that single. Page toured with New Kids on the Block as their opening act in the summer of 1989.

I’ll Be Your Everything was Page’s only number one record here in the States and people consider him a one-hit wonder, but he was a big star in Asia. The Full House episode that I know him from aired on 1/14/92. Page also did Broadway when he replaced Donny Osmond in 1994 in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. To summarize, he was a huge star in Asia, acted in a hit TV show, and performed on Broadway.

After accomplishing all of that, Page became an executive at Warner Bros. Records and helped many upcoming artists including Josh Groban, Green Day, Alanis Morissette, and Ashley Tisdale. He then became a publisher of Billboard magazine. After Billboard, Page joined Pandora. Man, this dude was everywhere!

Sad News

Tommy Page is no longer with us. He died at the age of 46 on March 3, 2017 of an apparent suicide. He left behind his husband Charlie and their three children. Six weeks before his death, Page was active on his Twitter page and seemed upbeat about writing new music. I wonder……

Many celebs took to Twitter to talk about the awesomeness of Tommy Page. Josh Groban wrote: “A kind and wonderful man who helped me a lot early on. Helped pick my first single. He was and is so loved. RIP my friend.”

Jonathan Knight wrote: “In your darkness I pray you now find light! Your bright soul will continue to shine in my heart forever.”

I don’t know his reasons for ending his life, but I will say this. I’m always saddened but never surprised when an artist takes their own life. They are a tortured beautiful soul. RIP, Tommy Page.