Tom Morello is a popular American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist with Kenyan roots.
Morello is best known for his role in the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, he was a member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage. How much has he made throughout his musical career?
Tom Morello Net Worth
Thomas Baptist Morello, popularly known as Tom Morello or “The Nightwatchman,” is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist with an estimated net worth of $40 million.
The 59-year-old is a car lover. Some of the cars he owns include a Mercedes Benz S Class, which has a starting price of $114,500, an Audi Q5 (2024 model starts at $45,795 and goes up to $60,895), a Range Rover, and several more.
Also, some online publications report that he earns about $250k plus monthly.
Tom Morello’s House – How Much Is It?
In 1997, Tom bought a house in the hills above Los Angeles for $950,000. Currently, that same house is said to be worth $5 million.
Profile Summary
| Net Worth | $40 Million |
| Full Name | Thomas Baptist Morello |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Date of Birth | May 30, 1964 |
| Place of Birth | Harlem, New York |
| Occupation | Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter & Political Activist |
| Parents | Father: N’gethe Njoroge Mother: Mary Morello |
| Wife | Denise Luiso |
| Children | Two (Rhoades & Roman Morello) |
| Relatives | Uncle: Jomo Kenyatta Aunty: Jemimah Gecaga |
| Height | 180 cm 1.80 m 5’10” |
| Weight | 76 kg 168 lbs |
| Socials | Instagram |
Tom Morello Biography
Thomas Baptist Morello was born on May 30, 1964, in Harlem, New York. His parents are Ngethe Njoroge and Mary Morello. His mother was an American of Italian and Irish descent, and his father was a Kenyan Kikuyu.
His parents met during a pro-democracy protest in Kenya and later married in New York. When Morello was 16 months old, his father returned to Kenya, denying paternity.
Morello was raised by his mother in Libertyville, Illinois, and attended Libertyville High School. He was involved in school activities, including singing in the choir and participating in speech and drama clubs.
He developed left-leaning political beliefs early on and considered himself an anarchist in a conservative high school.
After graduating from high school with honors in 1982, Morello went on to study political science at Harvard University.
He was part of a band called Bored of Education, which won the Ivy League Battle of the Bands in 1986. Morello graduated from Harvard in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in social studies.
After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles and supported himself by working as a stripper for a period.
He is the nephew of the first elected president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, and cabinet minister, member of parliament, and father of modern Kenya Njoroge mungai.
His aunt Jemimah Gecaga was the first woman to serve in the Kenyan legislation.
Tom Morello Music Career
In the 1980s, Tom Morello began playing the guitar in a band called Lock Up. They released their first album in 1989. But the band didn’t last long, and it broke up.
After Lock Up, in 1991, Tom Morello wanted to start a new band. He met a guy named Zack de la Rocha, who was great at freestyle rapping, so he asked him to join. They also got their friend Brad Wilk to play the drums and convinced Tim Commerford to play bass.
They played in small clubs in Los Angeles and eventually signed a deal with a record company. Their first album, “Rage Against the Machine,” came out in 1992. They became famous and released three more albums.
In 2000, they had a crazy concert outside a big political meeting. The police had to get involved because things got out of control.
But Zack de la Rocha left the band in 2000, and the band’s last concert was in September. They did release a live album in 2003, even after breaking up.
Then, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Tim Commerford started a new band called Audioslave with Chris Cornell and made more albums.
Zack de la Rocha worked on his music, but he also teamed up with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails for a couple of songs.
Tom Morello got involved in social and music events like the “Tell Us the Truth Tour” in 2003 and an online event for Gaza in 2021.
In 2023, he appeared in music videos for songs by Måneskin and Babymetal.
Guitar Playing Style & Technique
Morello is known for his awesome guitar playing. He plays a mix of heavy metal and punk music, and he gets some of his ideas from hip-hop music. People who watched him play at a concert said he wears his guitar high and can make all kinds of cool sounds with it, like bombs, sirens, and scratching.
To make those sounds, Morello uses special devices called effects pedals. Some of the pedals he used in his band Rage Against the Machine were the Dunlop Cry Baby, DigiTech WH-1 Whammy, Boss DD-2 Digital Delay, DOD EQ pedal, and Ibanez DFL Flanger. He also used a big amplifier from Marshall and a Peavey cabinet.
In the studio, where they make their music, Morello uses the same gear for most of the guitar parts. But sometimes, he tries different amplifiers and setups to create unique sounds. His skills and special way of playing the guitar made him the fifth-best guitarist in a poll by BBC in 2010.
Personal Life
Morello has accomplished a lot in his career, and in addition to those accomplishments, the Grammy award winner is a father of 2 kids and the proud husband of Denise Luiso. The couple got married in 2009.
Their first son is Rhoads, and he was born in 2007. Their second son, Roman, was born in April 2011.
Morello grew up as a Catholic and doesn’t eat meat; he is a vegetarian. He lives in a place called Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles.
Morello is also a sports lover; he likes the Chicago Cubs, a baseball team, and the Los Angeles Rams, a football team.
He liked the Rams’ quarterback, Roman Gabriel, so much that he named his son Roman in honor of him.
