Tommy Gooding: What to Know About Cuba Gooding Sr.’s Son

Tommy Gooding is an American musician best known as the son of soul singer Cuba Gooding Sr. and a member of the Gooding entertainment family. He has worked as a bassist, musical director, bandleader, composer, and producer. He is also connected with Goodbrown Music and studied at Five Towns College.

Quick Facts About Tommy Gooding

Early Life

Tommy Gooding’s full name is Thomas Gooding.

His birthday is widely reported as June 3, 1980. If this date is correct, he is 46 years old in 2026.

Many biographies say he was born in the Bronx, New York. However, his exact birthplace is not firmly established.

Tommy grew up in a family with strong ties to music, acting, television, and film.

Tommy Gooding’s Father, Cuba Gooding Sr.

Tommy’s father was Cuba Gooding Sr., a well-known soul singer.

Cuba Mark Gooding Sr. was born on April 27, 1944, in Harlem, New York City.

He became best known as the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient.

The group released songs including:

• Everybody Plays the Fool
• Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely

Cuba Sr. later pursued a solo music career and released albums such as The 1st Cuba Gooding Album and Love Dancer.

He also recorded songs including If You Were Mine and Never Gave Up.

Cuba Gooding Sr. died on April 20, 2017, in Woodland Hills, California, at age 72.

Who Is Tommy Gooding’s Mother?

Many online biographies identify Shirley Sullivan as Tommy Gooding’s mother.

Shirley was also involved in music and performed as a singer.

However, there is conflicting information about Tommy’s maternal background.

Some later research identifies Tommy as Cuba Gooding Sr.’s son from another relationship. If that is correct, Cuba Gooding Jr., Omar Gooding, and April Gooding would be Tommy’s half-siblings rather than full siblings.

Because the available sources disagree, Shirley Sullivan should not be described as Tommy’s confirmed biological mother without qualification.

Tommy Gooding’s Siblings

Tommy is part of the wider Gooding family and is closely connected with Cuba Gooding Jr., Omar Gooding, and April Gooding.

All four have worked in entertainment.

The exact full-sibling or half-sibling relationship is less clear because of conflicting information about Tommy’s mother.

His Brother Cuba Gooding Jr.

Tommy is widely known through his connection to Cuba Gooding Jr.

Cuba Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in the Bronx, New York.

He became a successful film actor and appeared in movies including:

• Boyz n the Hood
• A Few Good Men
• Jerry Maguire
• Men of Honor
• Radio

Cuba won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Rod Tidwell in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire.

His film and television career made the Gooding family widely known outside music.

His Brother Omar Gooding

Omar Gooding was born on October 19, 1976.

He is an actor, comedian, rapper, and producer.

His acting work includes Wild & Crazy Kids, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, Smart Guy, Baby Boy, Barbershop, and Family Time.

Omar also makes music under the name Big O.

His Sister April Gooding

April Gooding is an actress, voice performer, comedian, and entertainer.

She has appeared in projects including The Shield, Everybody Hates Chris, Night Into Day, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.

She has generally maintained a lower public profile than Cuba Gooding Jr.

Tommy Gooding’s Education

Tommy studied at Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York.

The school is known for programs connected with music, media, film, and performing arts.

Professional information linked to Tommy lists Five Towns College as part of his education.

His exact degree and graduation year are not clearly documented.

Tommy Gooding Is a Bass Guitarist

Tommy’s main profession is music.

He has worked as a bass guitarist and has built his career through live performance, musical direction, bandleading, composing, and production.

His professional identity is much more strongly connected with music than acting.

He has also used the name Thomas Gooding in professional settings.

His Work as a Musical Director

Tommy has worked as a musical director and bandleader.

One important part of his career was his work connected with Cuba Gooding Sr. and The Main Ingredient.

He helped direct and support live performances linked to his father’s music.

This work connected Tommy directly with the musical legacy of the Gooding family.

Tommy Gooding and The Main Ingredient

Tommy worked with performances involving The Main Ingredient, the soul group his father helped make famous.

He has been identified as a musical director and bandleader for performances connected to the group.

This is one of the clearest links between Tommy’s own music career and his father’s work.

Musicians Tommy Has Worked With

Professional biographies connect Tommy with a number of singers, musicians, and groups.

Reported names include:

• GQ
• Alyson Williams
• Melba Moore
• Freddie Jackson
• Bobby Brown
• Martha Wash
• Jagged Edge
• Force MDs
• Meli’sa Morgan
• Christopher Williams
• Bobbi Humphrey
• Buddy Miles
• JJ Sansaverino

He has worked in roles including bassist, bandleader, and sideman.

Not every reported collaboration has the same level of documentation, but his wider work in R&B and live music is well established.

GQ, Circular Time, and JJ Sansaverino

Several biographies specifically connect Tommy with GQ, Circular Time, and JJ Sansaverino.

He has performed as a bassist in different musical settings and has worked with other live musicians through his career.

His work shows that he built a professional music path separate from the acting careers of some of his relatives.

Goodbrown Music

Tommy is professionally connected with Goodbrown Music.

His public professional profile lists Goodbrown Music as part of his work history.

He has been described as a composer and producer through the company.

Some biographies call him the founder of Goodbrown Music, but this ownership claim is not strongly confirmed.

It is safer to say he works through or is professionally connected with Goodbrown Music.

Is Tommy Gooding an Actor?

Some online sources also describe Tommy as an actor.

Reported projects include Comedy Sketch TV Time, Okay? and Whatever It Takes: When Blood Runs Cold.

However, his acting work is much less documented than his music career.

Tommy is better described as a musician, bassist, musical director, and producer.

Tommy Gooding’s Marriage

Tommy is widely reported to be married to Seydurah Avecmoi.

Several secondary sources say they married in November 2019.

Some give the exact wedding date as November 11, 2019.

There are also reports that they became engaged in 2018.

However, there is limited primary information about their wedding and private relationship.

Who Is Seydurah Avecmoi?

Seydurah Avecmoi is associated with music and live performance.

She and Tommy have also been linked professionally through music.

The couple has kept most details of their relationship private.

Does Tommy Gooding Have Children?

Information about Tommy’s children is unclear.

Some secondary sources say he has a daughter.

One source gives the name Tomara Elise, while other reports do not confirm this information.

There is not enough reliable public evidence to state that Tommy has a child as a confirmed fact.

The safest wording is that some sources report a daughter, but this has not been reliably confirmed.

Tommy Gooding’s Net Worth

Tommy Gooding’s personal net worth is not reliably known.

Different websites give estimates ranging from around $300,000 to more than $1 million.

These figures are not supported by reliable financial records.

His income is likely connected with live performance, musical direction, bass work, composition, production, and other music projects.

Tommy Gooding’s Social Media

Tommy has been associated with the Instagram username @tgoodingbass.

The name matches his work as a bass guitarist.

He also has a professional LinkedIn presence under Thomas Gooding.

His online activity appears to focus mainly on music and professional work.

Tommy Gooding’s Work in 2026

Tommy appears to remain active in music.

In 2026, his professional activity included events honoring the music of his father, Cuba Gooding Sr.

An April 2026 performance at The Cutting Room in New York City celebrated Cuba Sr. around what would have been his 82nd birthday.

Tommy was also connected with live bass performances in New York during 2026.

This shows that he continues to work in music rather than being known only for older family connections.

Continuing His Father’s Musical Legacy

Tommy has remained closely connected with the work of Cuba Gooding Sr.

He worked as a musical director and bandleader for performances linked to his father and The Main Ingredient.

Years after Cuba Sr.’s death, Tommy continued taking part in events that honored songs such as Everybody Plays the Fool and Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely.

This connection is an important part of Tommy’s career.

The Gooding Family’s Entertainment Background

Tommy belongs to a family with several generations working in entertainment.

His father became known through soul music.

Cuba Gooding Jr. became an Oscar-winning actor.

Omar Gooding built a career in acting, comedy, music, and production.

April Gooding also works in acting and comedy.

The next generation includes Mason Gooding, Cuba Gooding Jr.’s son, who has appeared in films including entries in the Scream series.

Facts About Tommy Gooding

• His full name is Thomas Gooding.
• He is commonly known as Tommy Gooding.
• His birthday is widely reported as June 3, 1980.
• He is the son of soul singer Cuba Gooding Sr.
• His exact maternal background is unclear because sources conflict.
• He is closely related to Cuba Gooding Jr., Omar Gooding, and April Gooding.
• Tommy studied at Five Towns College.
• He works mainly as a bass guitarist.
• He has also worked as a musical director, bandleader, composer, and producer.
• He has professional ties to Goodbrown Music.
• He worked with performances connected to The Main Ingredient.
• He has been linked professionally with artists including GQ, Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Bobby Brown, and JJ Sansaverino.
• He is widely reported to have married Seydurah Avecmoi in 2019.
• Reports about whether he has children are conflicting.
• His personal net worth is not reliably known.
• He has been associated with the Instagram account @tgoodingbass.
• He remained active in live music in 2026.

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