He left behind his corporate job, bought a van, and took his songs across nearly every state. More than four-hundred shows later, Tom Sless is now stepping into a louder, bolder chapter.

TURBO.

The new Dallas-based outfit blends Sless's vivid, road-tested songwriting with the theatrical ambition of, dare we say, Freddie Mercury.

That sound took shape over years on the road and through Sless's work with producer TIMLIGHTYEAR on Heartland Ballerina. Recorded at Cosmic Mama Studios between solo tours stretching from Anchorage to Key West, the album marked an important chapter in Sless's evolution as a songwriter.

About a month after its release, Sless reunited with TIMLIGHTYEAR and collaborator John Samuel Gerhart with an ambitious goal: to write an anthemic rock epic in the spirit of "Bohemian Rhapsody." The result was "American Turbo." The song caught the attention of LIGHTWORK Records, leading to Sless's signing with the independent label.

The partnership with LIGHTWORK provided the foundation for what came next: Tommy Turbo, a mythic alter ego at the center of the forthcoming TOMMY TURBO concept album. The album is a theatrical rock odyssey set in a world of gods, muses, and men, exploring the pursuit of destiny, the fragility of greatness, and the struggle to carry it forward.

After completing the album and settling in East Dallas, Sless formed TURBO to bring the world of Tommy Turbo to the stage. What began as a solo artistic vision has evolved into a full-fledged live band, translating that world into a high-energy show that continues to evolve with every performance.

Tom Sless & TURBO are not famous yet, but they're having a pretty good time getting there.