Tom's early musical influences were the Big Bands his parents listened to, including Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Gene Kruppa, Harry James, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima,and popular hits from the 50s & 60s with his sister and brother.

During the 1980s, Hall became an accomplished swing dancer, following bands in the LA Rockabilly scene like the Stray Cats and the Blasters.

Soon Hall realized that most of the Rockabilly tunes were old blues songs, and that Jump Blues were just as much fun to dance to as Rockabilly music. In the Jump Blues realm, Tom was influenced by Big Joe Turner, Louis Prima, Louis Jordan, Roy Brown, Joe Liggins and the Texas Swing band, Asleep At The Wheel. On multiple occasions during the 80s, Tom was lucky enough to see Big Joe Turner and Joe Liggins live.

Hall then began to follow blues bands like the James Harman Band and Roomful of Blues, but it wasn't until he attended the 1987 Topanga Canyon Blues Festival that he decided he wanted to be a musician. At that festival, he saw two great harp players that became influences, Paul Butterfield and William Clarke, battling each other on the harmonica while backing up vocalist Linda Hopkins.

Especially impressed with Clarke, Hall decided then and there that he wanted to play the harmonica. Hall began to follow Clarke, eventually getting to know him and become friends with him. Learning of Clarke's musical influences, artists such as George "Harmonica" Smith, Walter Horton, and Sonny Boy Williamson,  Hall began collecting and playing along with their records. Other West Coast harp players like Mark Hummel, James Harman, and Rod Piazza also influence Hall.

Hall also continued to dance, and in 1991 appeared in the movie "Shout" with John Travolta. In 1996 he danced in the critically acclaimed movie "Swingers," which was filmed live at The Derby in Los Angeles. He has also appeared as a dancer in many television commercials.

In January 1992, Hall formed his own band, Flattop Tom & his Jump Cats. Playing the Los Angeles club scene, Hall developed his own unique style, playing harmonica along with the horn arrangements. Gradually the band attracted better players, evolving to the highly talented eight-piece combo that is the "Jump Cats" today. Hall strives to create that big band, "Roomful of Blues" sound that keeps crowds dancing all night long.

A unique feature of Flattop Tom's performances is that when other band members sing or take instrumentals, he jumps offstage to join the audience on the dance floor where, much to the crowd's delight, he performs the jitterbug, often with with lifts and aerial stunts.

Tom's latest CD, Don't Cheat the Feet, reached number 19 on the Living Blues Charts.

Tom has been fortunate to have many of his songs placed in movies and TV, for example, his songs were featured in Three Weddings And A Funeral, Baby Mama, Meeting David Wilson and Songs In Ordinary Time.