It’s rare that a happily married wife plays matchmaker for her husband, but for musical duo Tonya Tibbets and Tom Brown, aka T & T, that’s exactly how it happened. 

“My wife Diane introduced us,” says Tom, a retired police officer and guitarist. “She saw Tonya sing on the internet and kept telling me that we should form a duo and play locally but I wasn’t interested.”

Then, in August of 2016, fate brought the pair together at a South Leesburg retirement community mixer. Both Royal Highlands residents were there to meet and greet fellow members when Diane found Tonya in the crowd. 

“Diane recognized me from YouTube and introduced me to Tom,” says Tonya, a full-time realtor. “Once we
started rehearsing it was magic.”

Tom says he was also impressed with Tonya.

“Not only does she have an incredible voice but she has this infectious positive energy,” he says.

Tonya adds that she appreciates the fact that Tom bends his accompaniment to her particular style of singing. “He allows me to find the music that suits my voice and plays around it, which takes talent.”

The pair creates “theme” sets around artists like Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin and Linda Ronstadt, to name a few. 

They rehearse at the Brown residence twice a week, which Diane helps arrange. Tonya’s hubby, Lance, is also very supportive. 

“At the end of the day, the four of us have a lot of fun together and that support allows us to shine,” Tonya says.