Tony is self-taught on the drums. The first concert he ever went to was a Kiss concert when he was 9 years old. In 1984, he moved to Los Angeles, California. He got his first drum set when he was twelve, and has been playing drums since then. Tony is married and has a son called Wyatt.
Tony Palermo began his career as the drummer for the Los Angeles punk band Ten Foot Pole. After that Tony Palermo was the drummer for Unwritten Law, with which he was featured on the albums, Here's to the Mourning, and The Hit List. While in Unwritten Law, he was asked to be a touring drummer for Papa Roach before becoming a full-time member. When Papa Roach drummer Dave Buckner was sent to rehab in 2007, the band asked Tony Palermo if he would be willing to play drums for the band live. During the tour, the band formed a relationship with Palermo. In January 2008, when Dave left the band for good, Papa Roach asked Tony to be the band's permanent drummer. It was the band's first line-up change since 1996, also the first since signing with a major label. Tony is featured on 3 Papa Roach's albums, Metamorphosis, Time for Annihilation and The Connection. In combination as member from Papa Roach was Tony also a touring drummer for Sixx:A.M. while the band was on the Crüe Fest tour, while the band was featured in the tour along with Papa Roach.