Thomas "Tommy T" Gobena, born in 1971 in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, composer, and producer of Ethiopian descent. He began playing music at age five on his older brother's acoustic guitar and later formed his first band, Adola, which evolved into The Abyssinian Roots Collective. In 2006, Gobena joined the band Gogol Bordello as a bassist and singer. His musical influences include Bob Marley, Aston Barrett, James Jamerson, and Bill Laswell. Gobena's solo debut album, The Prester John Sessions, was released in 2009, featuring a blend of Ethiopian folk music with genres like dub, jazz, funk, and reggae. He also produced songs for R&B singer Wayna, who received a Grammy nomination for her song "Lovin’ U".
