Tom Kelam Inducted - Kansas City 1977
	Tom Kelam of St. Louis, Missouri, began playing the tambura at the age of ten.  His first teachers were Walter Karacin and Paul Jezic, two of the top tamburasi and teachers in this area.  With Tom in this class was Henry Shabalja, another outstanding tamburas in the St. Louis area.  The year was 1930.
	By 1935, Tom was part of a band called "Balkan Boys", which included John Belovich, Bill Palich, Henry Shabalja, Al Jazisco, and of course, Tom.  This band played on the KXOK radio station in an hour program during 1937.
	In 1938, Tom organized a band called the "Balkan Troubadours".  This band was very active in the St. Louis area.  Playing for Slav affairs and the entertainment of non-Slavs, primarily in the upper society hotels and the social affairs of the more affluent segment of St. Louis society.
	From 1938 through 1941, the "Balkan Troubadours" played on the East St. Louis radio station WTMV.  This was the original Croatian Radio Hour.  This radio program continued through the World War II era with a number of the other St. Louis tamburitza bands participating.
	Tom was in the military service from 1941 to 1946, and during this period, his trusty brac went where ever he went.
	In 1946 and 1947, Tom again organized a band consisting of himself, John Sporich, Joe Yokovich, and Henry Shabalja, entertaining at the Slav affairs in addition to expanding the recognition of tambura music to non-Slavs in the top hotels and many of the private homes of the Who's Who in high society in the St. Louis area.  His engagements were of such magnitude before individuals of great prominence that the musicians' union felt they should carry union cards.  This created opportunities for his band to appear at many affairs that would otherwise not have been possible.  Many of their engagements were at the top private country clubs which had as their members the so-called 'upper crust' of St. Louis society.
	The year 1948 brings us to the formation of a tamburitza band many believe represented the absolute top tamburitza band in the St. Louis and southern Illinois area for all time.  The band included Tom, Nikola Jakovac, Sam Tomich, Lou Jakovac, John Sporich, Nick Rukavina, and Elmer Katich, with Joe Perkovich as Director for a period of time.  This band was called "Tamburitza Slav".  Joe Perkovich needs no introduction to tamburasi.  He was responsible for many of the arrangements played by "Tamburitza Slav" which made them an outstanding band.  This band entertained through 1950.
	The year 1951 brought into existence a band called "Kelam Tamburitzans", which consisted of Tom, Elmer Katich, John Sporich, Anton Cernich, and Freddie Wilde, formerly with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.  For the grand opening of the new Hilton Hotel in St. Louis, the top American popular music band of Russ David and the "Kelam Tamburitzans" were chosen to appear.  This reflects the status attained by tamburitza music in the glittering social affairs of St. Louis, brought on to a great degree by Tom Kelam.
	In 1964, Tom Kelam joined Joe Perkovich to produce an LP album of ten songs, arranged by Joe, at the Krizancic recording studio.  In 1970, Tom joined with Frank Moskus, noted nightclub operator and vocalist, in making a number of recordings.
	From 1970 or so, Tom Kelam took under his wing many of the junior tamburitzans who desired to improve their capabilities beyond ordinary tambura playing.  The result was some of the top younger players in the country.  To name a few, Matt Klaric, Frank Jovanovic, John Mudro, David Dreher, Dan Dopuch, Zivan Katich, George Cavic, Jr., George Tomich, and Michael Martinovich.
	Not one to rest on his considerable accomplishments, Tom undertook to teach a class of approximately 40 juniors the tambura.  Tom has had this class going since 1973.
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