TamTam goes BamBam with several of Houston’s finest blues artists, including Living Legend Award recipient, Trudy Lynn; Koko Taylor Award winner, Diunna Greenleaf; International Blues Challenge Finalist, Steve Krase; and semi-finalist, Tweed Smith & The Internationals. Outside of the blues, TamTam flexes her orchestral chops as principal percussionist for The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra. Early in her career she dabbled in a wide mix of musical roles such as: NFL’s Houston Texan Drumline member, STOMP: Off-Broadway final call-back performer and swing performer for the 2008 Japan Tour of Odyssey: Brass Angels, a two-hour stage show featuring a fast-paced mix of musical styles combined with the dynamic motion of marching and dance.

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Two degrees hotter. Tamara Williams received her bachelor’s degree in Music Education at Sam Houston State University. Reaping all the benefits of her exuberant tenacity, she not only participated, but lead her section in every possible performing ensemble: Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Drumline, Pep Band, Percussion Ensemble, New Music Lab, and Steel Band. As an excuse to avoid joining the real world, she went on to The University of Arizona for a master’s degree in Music Performance. In graduate school, this over-caffeinated, over-achiever decided to pursue two careers: education and performance. Currently, Mrs. Williams is an award-winning middle school percussion director in the “yep, it’s flooding again” plains of Houston, Texas and miraculously manages to maintain an active performance schedule.

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In all seriousness, Tamara attributes her success to her ever-supportive wife and family.

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2020 Percussive Arts Society, Diversity Alliance Artist Spotlight Feature

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“A self-identifying ‘queen of diversity, the minority of minorities,’ Tamara Williams brings an array of intersectional perspectives to all of her work and musical activities:

-She is a woman working in the male dominated field of percussion.
-She is of mixed race (black and white).
-She is gay in the Bible Belt (America’s deep south).
-She has an advanced education and teaches at a Low-Income middle school.

-Anyone who spends two minutes with her will know that she is both authentic and

unforgettable.” – Dr. Julie Licata

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Tamara Williams is an active member of Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Educators Association,

Houston Blues Society, and The Blues Foundation. She endorses Salyers Percussion Drumsticks.