About the Artist Jazz doesn’t always come easy growing up in the dusty plains of West Texas, but that’s where it all began for Tom Braxton. Lubbock, Texas is an unlikely environment for a boy to dream of being a jazz musician. Fortunately, Tom had a direct link to this creative art form through his dad, James ("J.T.") Braxton. After graduating valedictorian from high school, Tom attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas on track and music scholarships.