Donald Thomas "Tom" Scholz is the primary songwriter, musician and founding member of the Massachusetts-based rock band Boston. He is also a notable inventor, businessman, and social activist. Scholz was born on March 10, 1947 in Toledo, Ohio. As a teenager, he was quickly identified as a skilled 6-foot-5-inch-tall basketball player, but his roots as a classically trained pianist and interest in pop music led to future musical endeavors. In 1965, Scholz was awarded a full scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.