Tommy and the Whale started in Nashville, TN in early 2007. It's members are Tommy Hans, Kai Welch, Jamie Dick, Thomas Samuel, and Nathan Hughes. Almost every member of Tommy and the Whale is a multi‑instrumentalist which has given the band a reputation for having a very «eclectic» sound.

The band released it's first EP «the Arthouse Sessions» soon after forming. The record was made during a one day session at the Arthouse in Bellevue, TN. It was produced by Grammy award winning producer, Charlie Peacock and engineered by the infamous Richie Biggs.

The band's debut full‑length album was released on Oct. 28th, 2008. It was released on the independent record label, Esperanza Plantation (Colour Revolt, Bear Colony, Questions In Dialect).