Tom Jans (February 9, 1948 – March 25, 1984) was an American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his song "Loving Arms." Born in Yakima, Washington, and raised near San Jose, California, Jans was the son of a farmer and had a musical heritage through his paternal grandmother. His musical influences included Hank Williams, flamenco, and the Beatles. Jans studied English literature at the University of California, Davis, but chose to pursue music over a graduate scholarship to Columbia University.

In the early 1970s, Jans performed in San Francisco coffeehouses, where he met Joan Baez, who introduced him to her sister Mimi Fariña. Jans and Fariña formed a duo, performing in the San Francisco Bay Area and touring with artists like Cat Stevens and James Taylor. They released an album, "Take Heart," in 1971, but it received little attention, leading to their split in 1972.

Jans then moved to Nashville to work as a songwriter, achieving success with "Loving Arms," recorded by artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and Elvis Presley. His solo debut album on A&M Records in 1974, featuring "Loving Arms," was not commercially successful. Jans later released "The Eyes of an Only Child" in 1975 and "Dark Blonde" in 1976 on Columbia Records, but neither album achieved commercial success. Despite these setbacks, Jans continued to perform until his untimely death in Los Angeles at the age of 36.