What is Tom Kelly’s net worth?

Tom Kelly is an American songwriter and musician who has a net worth of $25 million. Tom Kelly co-wrote some of the most enduring pop and rock hits of the 1980s and 1990s. Working primarily with songwriting partner Billy Steinberg, Kelly penned a string of chart-topping singles for major artists such as Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Heart, and the Bangles. Their collaborations produced songs that not only defined an era but also became cultural touchstones—power ballads and pop anthems that continue to resonate decades later.

Before his rise as a hitmaker, Kelly built his reputation as a session musician and vocalist in Los Angeles. He performed as part of the band Fool’s Gold and toured with Dan Fogelberg, and his strong vocal range later made him a sought-after backing singer for artists like Toto, Richard Marx, and Chicago. But it was his transition from performer to songwriter in the early 1980s that would cement his place in music history.

Over the next decade, Kelly and Steinberg became one of the most successful songwriting duos in modern pop, crafting five No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and numerous Top 10 singles. Their songs were known for emotional sincerity, soaring melodies, and instantly recognizable hooks—qualities that made them timeless radio staples.

Early Life and Career

Thomas F. Kelly was born in 1946 and grew up in Indiana, where he developed a love of rock and R&B music during the 1960s. After playing in several local bands, he moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s to pursue a professional music career. He gained steady work as a guitarist and vocalist, eventually joining Fool’s Gold, a band known for its soft rock and country influences.

Kelly’s early years in L.A. brought him into contact with the city’s thriving session scene. He worked with Dan Fogelberg both in the studio and on tour, contributing backing vocals to the platinum-selling album “Phoenix.” By the end of the decade, his songwriting ambitions began to take shape, and in 1981 he teamed up with lyricist Billy Steinberg, forming one of the most successful partnerships in pop songwriting history.

Songwriting Success

Kelly and Steinberg’s first major success came in 1984 with “Like a Virgin,” which Madonna turned into a global hit. The song spent six weeks at No. 1 and established the duo as elite songwriters. From there, they produced a series of era-defining tracks that dominated radio through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Their ability to tailor songs to an artist’s personality and voice made them invaluable collaborators. They could write everything from shimmering synth-pop to emotional power ballads, earning Grammy nominations and chart records along the way.

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Most Famous Songs by Tom Kelly

Below are some of the most recognizable songs co-written by Tom Kelly, along with the artist who made each one famous and the year of release:

• “Like a Virgin” – Madonna (1984)
• “True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper (1986)
• “Eternal Flame” – The Bangles (1989)
• “Alone” – Heart (1987)
• “So Emotional” – Whitney Houston (1987)
• “I’ll Stand by You” – The Pretenders (1994)
• “I Touch Myself” – Divinyls (1990)
• “In Your Room” – The Bangles (1988)
• “Like Lovers Do” – Jude Cole (1990)
• “One & One” – Edyta Górniak (1997, covered by Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler)

Legacy

By the mid-1990s, Kelly had largely retired from active songwriting, content to let his catalog speak for itself. His songs have been covered by dozens of artists and continue to appear in films, television, and advertising, underscoring their lasting emotional power.

With multiple No. 1 singles, millions of records sold, and songs that remain staples of classic pop and soft rock radio, Tom Kelly’s influence on modern music is undeniable. He helped give voice to some of the most iconic artists of the 1980s and 1990s and left behind a songbook that defined a generation of pop music.