Tommy Shannon (born Thomas Lafitte Smedley; April 18, 1946) is an American bass guitarist, who is best known as a member of Double Trouble, a blues rock band led by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Shannon recorded two 45s with this band, which featured Tim Easly on vocals and Uncle John Turner[1] on drums.

Shannon ended up backing Winter, and with "Uncle" John Turner the three musicians formed a project known as The Progressive Blues Experiment in 1968.

Johnny Winter ended up moving to a band featuring Rick Derringer in early 1970 that already had a rhythm section,[2] and there was no room for Shannon or Turner.

According to Tommy's website, Stevie Ray Vaughan, known as "Skeeter," was part of this band in its later Austin incarnation, along with Robin Syler on guitar.

[1] The newly healthy band was on the upswing, making popular music and gaining wider fame, until the helicopter carrying Vaughan crashed into a hillside after a show at Alpine Valley Music Theater, near East Troy, Wisconsin, on August 27, 1990, killing all aboard.

[3] Other notable projects included the Arc Angels with Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton, and Storyville with Malford Milligan.

He has played with other notable musicians, including Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Hubert Sumlin, Mike McCready, Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Johnson, David Grissom, Mato Nanji, Jeff Beck, Lou Gramm and John Mayer.

In 1999, Shannon, in company with Chris Layton, provided the rhythm section for the Debbie Davies release Tales From the Austin Motel on Shanachie Records.

Titled Been a Long Time, it featured many guest performers (including Tedeschi) filling Vaughan's frontman role.

Both Jimi Hendrix and BB King jammed on this bass with Johnny Winter on guitar, as documented in photos.