Bio
Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock’n’roll. Known for his innovative guitar solos and thunderous chords, Morello is a groundbreaking artist both in his solo career and as an original member of the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave - two acts responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and a combined 30 million albums sold worldwide. His trademark style was a crucial component of Rage Against the Machine, helping launch Morello and the band to Grammy-winning, multi-platinum success, which in turn led to his recognition by Rolling Stone Magazine as the 18th “Greatest Guitar Player of All-Time” and subsequent induction into both the Rock & Roll and Metal Hall of Fame. After not just one but two multi million selling bands, Morello’s signature guitar can be heard in the supergroup Prophets of Rage and with his 6-year stint in Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band.
Morello is a vocal political activist whose first solo outing was as the Nightwatchman. You can often find him on the front line of pickets and strikes across the country - most recently in solidarity with United Mine Workers of America in Brookwood, AL, the United Farm Workers of America in Sacramento, CA, and the Star Garden Strippers Union in North Hollywood, CA. He is also the 2023 Music Will Humanitarian of the Year recipient, helping to sponsor multiple music education programs across the country for schools in need and is an ACLU Artist for Smart Justice for his advocacy work. Additionally, you can catch him every week on Sirius XM as the host of his show “One Man Revolution.”
At the 2019 SXSW Conference, Tom discussed his role as an activist and announced his Ambassadorship with the ACLU on our "At Liberty" podcast.