Follow your dreams.

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Follow your dreams. That’s exactly what Tom Huff did, and now it looks as if he may be on his way to Nashville, Tenn.

At the age of 17, while serving in Germany with the U.S. Army, Huff wrote his first country song. He writes both country and gospel.

Last Tuesday, Huff received a call from Don Reed, a producer-songwriter in the country music business.

"My phone rang at 8:30 p.m.," Huff said, "and the man asked me if I was sitting down that he had something to tell me."

Reeves told him that a committee had listened to some of Huff’s songs and they liked them.

"He said that I have made it in Nashville and will be leaving in two to three weeks to record my first album."

He will also be going on the Grand Ole Opry, and is awaiting the call to be flown to California to Affinity Music – Don Reed Productions.

One of the songs he wrote, "Confused No More," was recorded and is being played in the Tri-State area and as far away as Florida. He performed it on the Jerry Clower Show a few years ago.

Huff has also written a song about Conway Twitty, "Now That You’re Gone." The producer and committee was very interested in this song. Alan Jackson had even listened to some of his tapes and was impressed.

Twitty had recorded two of Huff’s songs, "I’m a Dreamer, You’re the Dream," and "That’s My Job."

Huff, a native of Coal Grove, and his wife, Renee, live in Ironton.

"He can sit down and just start writing and the next thing you know, he’s written a song," Mrs. Huff said.

Huff has five children and two step-sons. One of his stepsons, 10-year-old Brian Easterling, sings along with him.

"If it weren’t for my wife," he said, "I wouldn’t have gone this far. She just kept encouraging me and telling me that I could do it. I’m hoping my music will please others and inspire them to follow their dreams."