Tom Brumley was born on 11 December 1935 in Stella, Missouri, USA. He was married to Rolene Marie Spencer. He died on 3 February 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
''The Brumley Touch'' is his own style of steel guitar play.
Brumley was inducted into the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame and received an Academy of Country Music Award for No. 1 Steel Guitarist in 1966.