Where It All Began
Fifteen Minutes of Fame Music Entertainment started with a thought I had while listening to a popular sports podcast. Because of one relationship, the podcast went from one of the more popular sports podcasts to the number one podcast in the world. I was fascinated with the power of that influence. How it was just this cool thing that happened to a couple of famous athletes but how something like that could change the life of an independent artist. Even to experience just fifteen minutes of that kind of influence.
The first course of action was an idea to “lift an artist up” by holding social media campaigns where I would name an artist to feature in the hopes of drawing people to that artist to spend fifteen minutes of a day to appreciate them and their work. The idea didn’t have the reaction I had hoped for.
It wasn’t until July of 2024 that I had the idea to start writing reviews. It was something tangible. Something that could express meaning to the art and something the artist could reference for the rest of their lives. This was the idea that brought purpose to Fifteen Minutes of Fame. Changing the narrative on how we critique music.
Today, Fifteen Minutes of Fame have featured more than 200 artists in reviews and blind reaction videos, spanning across 36 states in the US, 25 countries, and 6 continents. Every month, our social media campaigns reach thousands of viewers as continue to find ways to innovate and grow.
In one of the most exciting ventures since the release of our first article, Fifteen Minutes of Fame is proud to partner and join the Collaborative Artist Network. Honestly, partnership isn’t even the right word. This feels like family. In a volatile world, experiencing such a humbling amount of unity is as uplifting of an experience as I can remember. In the spirit of collaboration, this will not just be me reviewing artists work. Our community will get in on the action! If you want to review a work, post it! If you want to give further analysis to a review I leave, post it! If you have a song or know a song you want to review, or discuss, post it! Together, we will make this into something bigger, something greater, and something memorable. Together, we CAN!
About Jeff Thomas
I live in Nashville, Tennessee with my lovely wife, Naomi, and our three children and our 3 dogs; Slim, Kali, and Barnaby. As most independent musicians do, I work full time. I am fortunate as the field I work in is a field I am equally passionate about, which is the financial industry. I like to spend time with my family, I love gardening with my wife, listening to audiobooks or podcasts, and we love to venture into thrift stores or antique stores! We can’t forget that I love all things music.
I have been a musician now for 40 years, having taken my first violin lesson at the age of 3. My mother, a professional cellist, also privately instructed violin and viola lessons. My father was a hard worker who always aspired to be a songwriter, which is what brought our family to Nashville in 1993 (it is with great pride that I say this is a goal my father accomplished one time before his death in 2019).
In high school, I started becoming more passionate about music. I performed in bands, choruses, and as a solo vocalist, along with learning to play the guitar. But it wasn’t until college that music became my priority. Under the mentorship of the world renowned professor and conductor, James W. Story, I discovered music was something more than just this thing I was good at. It is something I love.
From the late 1990’s to the early 2010’s I would play in bands, perform as a soloist, and play as an accompanying musician for other artists who were trying to find their own way into the industry. I played legendary venues like Exit/In, The Mercy Lounge, even the historic and world-famous Ryman Auditorium. I played for artists who would break into the industry and even got the experience of touring the Carolina’s and the southeastern coast.
Unfortunately, that break I witnessed so many have, never came for me. I released my first work as an independent recording artist in 2011 and my second in 2015. After an 8 year departure, I released my debut LP in 2023, at 41 years old. After a release of 6 singles spanning from 2023 into 2025, I have finished my second LP, an album that will be called “Evaporate,” which releases on January 16th.
Fifteen Minutes of Fame Music Entertainment 