Tom Abbott is making his mark in the local and regional music scene. The Wrentham native won Best Song in the Rock/Alt category at the New England Songwriters Competition for his track “Time (Where You Going).” The award-winning song is featured on his newly released album “Buried Treasure Lost Forever.”

“I’ve been focused a lot on songwriting specifically for the past few years,” said Abbott, a 2016 graduate of King Philip Regional High School. “To get an award for that skill in particular definitely meant a lot.”

Abbott, who studied at the New England Conservatory of Music after graduating from King Philip, says music has always been part of his life. “My parents bought me a guitar when I was 10 or 11, and I picked it up really quickly,” he recalled. “I’d tried saxophone, drums, piano, but nothing really clicked until I found guitar. That came much more naturally to me.”

That early connection evolved into a passion for performance and songwriting. At King Philip, Abbott was a familiar face in the school’s music and theater programs, participating in choir, jazz band, and drama club. He studied under teachers Joshua Wolloff and Ashley Nelson-Oneschuk and capped off his high school music journey by earning a spot in the prestigious All-State Choir his senior year.

Though he took music classes at KP, Abbott’s serious study took place outside of school, including voice and guitar lessons. “By the time I was 12 or 13, I remember telling my parents I didn’t want to go to college—I just wanted to do music,” he laughed. “They told me there were music colleges, and I said, ‘Oh great, I’ll just do that then.’”

Now a full-time musician, Abbott spends his weekends performing at local bars and breweries, often playing a mix of cover songs and originals in solo acoustic sets. “It’s mostly just me and my guitar,” he said. “But the album includes a full band—friends from college and the Rhode Island music scene came together to help record it.”

Abbott describes his sound as part of a genre known as folk punk or anti-folk sonic revival. “It’s folk music but with a much harsher edge,” he explained. “It’s not traditional country or Appalachian folk. It’s rougher around the edges. I definitely lean more toward the rock side of that genre.”

Lyrically, Abbott’s work is deeply personal. “Music has always been therapeutic for me,” he said. “I feel more comfortable talking about my emotional state through performance—it gives me a barrier between how I feel and how I express it.”

Abbott’s music is already garnering kudos from reviewers.

“The sophistication of his arrangements point to his schooling by New England Conservatory teachers…” – Pitch Perfect

“The singer-songwriter has crafted a record that shines with folk-rock splendor and flashes its highlights of blues, punk, and lo-fi production throughout fourteen riveting tracks. The New England artist gifts something to each listener…” The Deli Magazine

As for aspiring musicians looking to follow in his footsteps, Abbott offers simple but solid advice: find your people.

“If you really want to pursue music, going to places where music is happening is probably the best thing you can do,” he said. “Surrounding yourself with other musicians is going to push you and open so many more doors than trying to do it all yourself.”

Looking ahead, Abbott plans to shift gears with his next project, embracing a more stripped-down, acoustic style. “I want to lean a lot more into the folk side of what I do, make it very minimal—just me and the guitar,” he said. “But I’ve got plenty more songs still to write.”

Want to catch a performance? Locally, Abbott will be at Union Straw in Foxboro on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. and on June 1 at 11:30 a.m. He’ll also be performing at Wormtown Brewery at Patriot Place on June 6 at 6 p.m. Visit tomabbottmusic.com for more information.

Abbott’s music, including “Time (Where You Going),” is available on major streaming platforms. He can be reached for bookings or inquiries at [email protected].