Peace and Love

Some artists leave an undeniable mark on history without ever making their names widely known. This is the case for Tommy Sims, whose list of accomplishments should have made him one of the most famous musicians on the planet. He traveled the world with Bruce Springsteen on his 1992-1993 world tour as his bassist. He penned Eric Clapton’s chart-topping track “Change the World” and won multiple Grammys for his trouble, though many continue to attribute the writing to Babyface (who produced the song). Sims finally stepped out of the studio backrooms for his first and only solo effort, Peace and Love, to little fanfare — and that’s probably the way he preferred it. It’s a lovely synthesis of his deep history with country music, being a studio mercenary for Nashville-based artists for decades, and his deep reverence for classic Motown soul. He covers the late folk-rock crooner Jim Croce, he interpolates Dixie fife and drum, and he even brings in Stevie Wonder for a harmonica solo on “Summer.” Peace and Love never made Sims famous, but it reinforced his skill with every style of music he touched.