- When he divorced Frank Sinatra's daughter, Nancy Sinatra, Sinatra allegedly saw to it that Tommy's blooming career went permanently on the rocks.
- Was a disc jockey at age 12 with a radio station and cut his first record at age 14 which attracted the attention of Col. Tom Parker (Elvis Presley's manager) and RCA Records.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1560 Vine St.
- Served in the Air Force Reserves.
- Became an immediate overnight sensation after copping the landmark lead in The Singin' Idol (1957), which was the first TV drama on the subject of rock-and-roll. Tommy played a Southern Baptist Elvis Presley-like singer. The single from that show went to #2 on the Billboard charts.
- Ex-son-in-law of Frank Sinatra.
- He is the son of Grace (Dickson), a big band singer, and Ben Sands, a pianist. His father was a Russian Jewish immigrant. His mother was from Texas.
- The pioneer rock-and-roller got his musical gifts from his mother, who was a vocalist in Art Kassel's band.
- Has a model/singer daughter, Jessica Sands, who can be seen in Playboy, July 2000, p.180.
- Ex-brother-in-law of Frank Sinatra Jr. and Tina Sinatra.
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