Thomm Jutz
Thomm Jutz | |
---|---|
Birth name | Thomas Jutz |
Born | Neusatz, Germany | December 27, 1969
Genres | Country, Bluegrass, Folk |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
Instrument(s) | Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar |
Years active | 1980s–present |
Labels | Mountain Fever |
Website | thommjutz |
Thomm Jutz (born 27 December 1969) is a German-born American singer, songwriter, producer, and guitar player, based in Nashville, Tennessee.
He has worked with Grammy-winning folk singer Nanci Griffith (as a member of her Blue Moon Orchestra), Grammy nominees Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, Americana star Mary Gauthier, Grand Ole Opry members and/or Country Music Hall of Fame inductees: Mac Wiseman, Bobby Bare, Connie Smith and Marty Stuart, veteran troubadour David Olney, Otis Gibbs, Kim Richey, Irene Kelley, Amy Speace,[1] Milan Miller and German vocalist Marc Marshall.[2]
His songs have been recorded by Nanci Griffith, John Prine, Kim Richey, Junior Sisk, Irene Kelley, Kenny and Amanda Smith, Darrell Webb, Balsam Range, Buddy Melton, Milan Miller and Terry Baucom.[3]
Jutz co-wrote the top two singles of 2016 listed on the Bluegrass Today Airplay chart for the United States, namely Around The Corner recorded by Terry Baucom & The Dukes of Drive at no. 1, and Carolina Wind[4] recorded by Irene Kelley at no. 2.[5]
Jutz is signed to Mountain Fever Records and his debut album, Crazy If You Let It, was released on October 6, 2017,[6] the title track single having been released to radio on August 29, 2017.[7]
Early life
Jutz originates from Neusatz, Buehl, Baden-Wurttemberg in the Black Forest of Germany and started playing music at the age of six, initially learning piano and flute.
In 1981 at age 11 he saw country artist Bobby Bare on a German television program performing Detroit City and, inspired by the way Bare stood and held his guitar, took up the guitar and developed an interest in Country, Bluegrass and Folk Music.[8]
Jutz won several nationwide competitions as a teenager before studying classical guitar at the University of Stuttgart under professor Dr. Mario Sicca. Jutz played throughout Central Europe with Blues and Rock Bands, and began studying songwriting and studio engineering.
Career
In 2003, Jutz was granted a Diversity Immigrant Visa into the USA and moved his base to Nashville, where he immediately found favor and started touring worldwide with David Olney, Mary Gauthier and Nanci Griffith.
Jutz then set up as owner and operator of TJ Tunes, the studio he created for writers, players and artists from different places and genres to come together in a relaxed, rural setting, to write and record. He has produced over 70 albums to date.
The 1861 Project
Between 2011 and 2014, Jutz produced and wrote songs for the three volumes of The 1861 Project, a collection of new songs inspired by the people who fought and lived through the American Civil War.
Artists featured on these albums include Marty Stuart, John Anderson, Jerry Douglas, Maura O'Connell, Connie Smith, Chris Jones, Sierra Hull, Bobby Bare, Jason Ringenberg, Kim Richey and Hannah & Caroline Melby. The series received praise from historians, critics, music lovers and Civil War enthusiasts.[9]
"I Sang The Song"
During 2016, Jutz, together with Peter Cooper and 91-year-old country music legend Mac Wiseman, spent nine Sunday afternoons at Wiseman's house writing material based on the stories Wiseman would tell of his life.[10]
In January 2017, Mountain Fever Records released these songs on the "I Sang The Song" album, produced by Jutz and Cooper. Friends and admirers performing on the album include John Prine, Alison Krauss, Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Camp, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Andrea Zonn and Mark Fain.[11]
Discography
Solo albums
- Crazy If You Let It (Mountain Fever, 2017)[12][13]
- Volunteer Trail (Self released, 2016)
- Work (Self released, 2010)
Collaborative albums
- Eric Brace, Peter Cooper & Thomm Jutz: Profiles in Courage, Frailty, and Discomfort (Red Beet Records, 2017)
- Jefferson Ross & Thomm Jutz: Stable Suite (2015)
- Thomm Jutz & Craig Market: Nowhere To Hide (2015)[14]
- Billy Goodman & Thomm Jutz: Ghost Town (2011)
As producer
- Nanci Griffith: The Loving Kind (Rounder Records) (co-produced with Pat McInerney)
- Mac Wiseman: I Sang The Song (co-produced with Peter Cooper)
- Mac Wiseman: Songs From My Mother's Hand (co-produced with Peter Cooper)[15]
- Various Artists: The 1861 Project, Vols. 1-3
- Sid Griffin: The Trick Is To Breathe
- Steve Young: Songlines Revisited Volume One
- Eric Brace & Peter Cooper : C&O Canal[16]
- Richard Dobson: From A Distant Shore
- Otis Gibbs: Harder Than Hammered Hell
- Todd Snider : Cheatham Street Warehouse (co-produced with Peter Cooper)[17]
- Jason Ringenberg: Christmas on the Farm with Farmer Jason (co-produced with Peter Cooper)
- Marc Marshall: Nimm Dir Zeit (co-produced with Frank Lauber)
Other appearances
- Mary Gauthier: Mercy Now / Season Of Mercy EP, Limited Edition (Jutz plays on 3 tracks on 2nd disc)[18]
- Jon Weisberger: I've Been Mostly Awake (Jutz and Kim Richey are featured on the track Everything is Broken)[19]
Video Games
Jutz's song Burning The Midnight Oil, co-written with Peter Cronin, appears on Life Is Strange: Before the Storm.
Awards and recognition
IBMA 2017 International Bluegrass Music Awards – 4 nominations (as writer and producer in Song of the Year category, and as artist and producer in Recorded Event of the Year category)[20]
SESAC 2013 Nashville Music Awards for contributions to the album Thorn In My Heart recorded by Kim Richey[21]
SESAC 2009 Americana Performance Activity Award (with Charley Stefl) for contribution to the album The Loving Kind recorded by Nanci Griffith[22]
Member of IBMA Leadership Bluegrass class of 2015[23]
Member of Nashville's Leadership Music class of 2013[24]
References
- ^ "The Nashville Scene review". amyspeace.com. 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ "Mix Magazine review". NewBay Media, LLC. 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ "Songwriter's Back Story". bluegrasstoday.com. 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ^ "Irene Kelley celebrates These Hills". irenekelley.com. 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ^ "Bluegrass Today Top 30 songs for 2016". Bluegrass Today. 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Thomm Jutz signs with Mountain Fever". Bluegrass Today. 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "Crazy If You Let It single". East Public Relations. 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Thomm Jutz, Sitting At The Feet of History". No Depression. 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "1861 Project review". bluegrassmusic.com. 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ "CMT News". Viacom International Inc. 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ "The Tennessean story". tennessean.com. 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- ^ "Mountain Fever Album". Bluegrass Today. 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- ^ "No Depression review". Freshgrass, LLC. 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ^ "Nowhere To Hide review". No Depression. 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ "Mac Wiseman CD". Wrinkled Records. 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ "C&O Canal Review". Countryuniverse.net. 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "Cheatham Street Warehouse". Popmatters.com. 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ "Season of Mercy". Discogs. 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
- ^ "Everything is Broken". Cybergrass. 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "2017 IBMA Awards Nominations". Bluegrass Today. 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- ^ "2013 SESAC Nashville Music Awards". sesac.com. 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "2009 SESAC Nashville Music Awards". sesac.com. 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "IBMA Leadership Bluegrass class of 2015". ibma.org. 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "Leadership Music Class of 2013". musicrow.com. 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
External links
- Thomm Jutz Official website
- 1861 Project
- Thomm Jutz discography at Discogs
- Thomm Jutz at AllMusic