Tom Llamas first stepped into NBC’s Rockefeller Middle headquarters in 2000 as a fresh-faced intern.
The son of Cuban immigrants, Llamas grew up in Miami, the place he continues to have sturdy ties (pop famous person Gloria Estefan and “Sabado Gigante” host Don Francisco attended a celebration in Florida to have fun his promotion). He lives in Westchester County, N.Y., along with his spouse, Jennifer, three youngsters aged 12, 9 and 7, and a devoted room for his vinyl report assortment constructed from a decade of crate-digging whereas touring all over the world on task.
He not too long ago spoke with The Occasions about his new function.
He’s been married to this job. And so I requested him about that, as a result of my children have all the time identified me as a community correspondent and a community anchor. However he instructed me, “Your life is going to change.” And he defined to me that everybody’s going to desire a piece of you and there’s going to be a whole lot of calls for, much more than you’ve ever skilled.
Oh yeah.
I had my 7-year-old explaining the election to his classmates. He was strolling them via when President Biden stepped down and Kamala Harris took over the nomination. Generally it’s robust. They have been watching that evening throughout Hurricane Milton final summer season when a transformer exploded over my head, and that could be a little scary. There have been some textual content messages and calls to me rapidly.
Tom Llamas reporting from Kyiv in March 2022.
(NBC Information)
I can actually keep in mind any time Fidel Castro was going to be interviewed. It was all the time a serious second, proper? I keep in mind my dad and mom watching the interview after which deciding if it was a good interview or not and having an open dialog about that. So I’m listening to about conversations of equity my total life. And I see what it means and the way viewers react to that.
Did that encourage you to enter the career?
What made the powers that be determine that it is best to maintain doing “Top Story” whereas doing “Nightly”?
It was really my concept.
I don’t suppose I obtained this job as a result of I’m Hispanic; I believe I obtained this job as a result of I’m one of the best individual for the job. And I do know that’s what NBC believes, too.
NBC’s Tom Llamas in Rome, masking the loss of life of Pope Francis in April 2025.
(NBC Information)
You’re from the streaming music era, however you’ve gotten a vinyl report assortment. How did that occur?
Ten or 12 years in the past, I went to my good friend’s home in Los Angeles and he has a report participant. I believe he performed “Sticky Fingers” from the Rolling Stones. We simply chilled and we listened to the album. And I assumed, “What a great experience.”
Then I spotted the opposite enjoyable half about information is simply discovering them and amassing them, and making an attempt to get unique pressings. I’ve Wilson Pickett information that have been made in Spain. I’ve Beatles information the place the liner notes and the album covers are in several languages. I’ve a room the place I’ve them — it feels such as you’re strolling right into a jukebox. It’s the place I learn the paper generally. It’s the place I put together for large election nights. I’ll be in there for hours. It’s how I calm down.
What’s in your turntable in the mean time?
I’m in a little bit of a hard-bop part, so I’m listening to a whole lot of Artwork Blakey, a whole lot of Cannonball Adderley. I’ve been looking for nice stay albums. I picked up this nice five-record set from Bruce Springsteen, the run he had within the late ’70s via the ’80s. And a terrific album, which I obtained turned on to, is Elvis Presley’s “From Elvis in Memphis.” He recorded that in 1969, when Jimi Hendrix was taking off and Woodstock was occurring. And it’s only a very nation Americana album with lovely songs. It’s obtained the Memphis Boys backing him.
You’ve got good style in music.
I admire it.
