Thomm Jutz (born December 27, 1969) is a German-born American singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist based in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

. He has worked with folk singer

Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award fo ...

(as a member of her Blue Moon Orchestra), Eric Brace & Peter Cooper,

Mary Gauthier Mary Veronica Gauthier ( ; born March 11, 1962) is a Grammy-nominated American folk singer-songwriter and author, whose songs have been covered by performers including Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Kathy Mattea, Boy George and Jimmy Buffett. She ha ...

Mac Wiseman Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer. Early life He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...

Bobby Bare Robert Joseph Bare Sr. (born April 7, 1935) is an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for the songs "Marie Laveau", " Detroit City" and "500 Miles Away from Home". He is the father of Bobby Bare Jr., also a musician. Early ca ...

Connie Smith Connie Smith (born Constance June Meador; August 14, 1941) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity h ...

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before beginning work as a ...

David Olney David Charles Olney (March 23, 1948 – January 18, 2020) was an American folk music, folk singer-songwriter. Olney recorded more than twenty albums over his five-decade career. His songs have been covered by numerous artists, including Emmylou ...

Otis Gibbs Paul Otis Gibbs III (b. Feb 1966) is an American alt-country singer-songwriter and podcaster who has independently released several albums since 2002. Biography Gibbs was raised in Wanamaker, Indiana, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Indi ...

Kim Richey Kimberly Richey (born December 1, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter. Career Kim Richey came onto the music scene in the 1990s and entered her first recording contract at the age of 37. Kim signed with Mercury Nashville. She spent the n ...

, Bill Anderson,

Amy Speace Amy Speace is a Nashville-based folk/Americana American singer-songwriter and essayist from Baltimore, Maryland. National Public Radio described her voice as "velvety and achy" and compared her to Lucinda Williams. She lives in Nashville, Tennes ...

, Milan Miller and Marc Marshall. His songs have been recorded by Nanci Griffith,

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

, Kim Richey, Junior Sisk, Kenny and Amanda Smith,

Balsam Range Balsam Range is a bluegrass and acoustic music group founded in 2007 in Haywood County, North Carolina. They are the 2014 and 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association (IMBA) Entertainer of the Year recipients. Their other accolades include ...

, Buddy Melton, Milan Miller and

Terry Baucom Terry Baucom is an American bluegrass singer, banjo player, and band leader. He is nicknamed "The Duke of Drive" for his propelling banjo style. He leads his band, The Dukes of Drive, and was a founding member of Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson and Qui ...

. Jutz co-wrote the top two singles of 2016 listed on the ''Bluegrass Today'' Airplay chart. Jutz signed with Mountain Home Music Company in 2019. New albums "To Live in Two Worlds – Vol 1 & 2" were released in 2020. Singles "Mill Town Blues", "I Long to Hear Them Testify", "Hartford's Bend" and "Jimmie Rodgers Rode a Train" were released in 2019. He also signed as a writer with Asheville Music Publishing in 2018. "To Live In Two Worlds, Vol 1" was nominated for a 2021

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

in the Bluegrass category. Jutz is a current lecturer of songwriting at

Belmont University Belmont University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee. Descended from Belmont Women's College, founded in 1890 by schoolteachers Ida Hood and Susan Heron, the institution was incorporated in 1951 as Belmont College. It be ...

and is working on a master’s degree in

Appalachian Studies Appalachian studies is the area studies field concerned with the Appalachian region of the United States. Scholarship Some of the first well-known Appalachian scholarship was done by Cratis D. Williams. His 1937 MA thesis in English from the Univ ...

East Tennessee State University East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. Although it is part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, the university is governed by an institutional Board of Tr ...

, writing his thesis on Grammy-winner Norman Blake. Additional writings and essays have been published in

American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...

and the IBMA Songwriter’s Newsletter. Jutz is featured in the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

’s American Currents exhibit, slated to run 2022-2023.

Early life

Jutz originates from Neusatz, Buehl,

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

in the

Black Forest The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

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 A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

, Bluegrass and

Folk Music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

. Jutz won several nationwide competitions as a teenager before studying classical guitar at the

University of Stuttgart The University of Stuttgart (german: Universität Stuttgart) is a leading research university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized into 10 faculties. It is one of the oldest technical universities in Germany wit ...

under professor Dr. Mario Sicca. Jutz played throughout Central Europe with

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

and

Rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

Bands, and began studying songwriting and studio engineering.

Career

In 2003, Jutz was granted a

Diversity Immigrant Visa The Diversity Immigrant Visa program, also known as the green card lottery, is a United States government lottery program for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card. The Immigration Act of 1990 established the current and permanent D ...

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 The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Artists featured on these albums include

John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...

Jerry Douglas Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. Career In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he has ...

Maura O'Connell Maura O'Connell (born 16 September 1958) is an Irish singer and actress. She is known for her contemporary interpretations of Irish folk songs, strongly influenced by American country music. Background O'Connell was born in Ennis, the main t ...

, Chris Jones,

Sierra Hull Sierra Dawn Hull (born September 27, 1991) is an American bluegrass singer-songwriter, mandolinist, and guitarist. Hull was signed to Rounder Records at the age of 13 and released her debut vocal album, ''Secrets'', in 2008 at the age of 16. ...

Jason Ringenberg Jason Ringenberg (born November 22, 1958) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of Jason & the Scorchers. Early life and education Ringenberg was born in Kewanee, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Sheffi ...

and Hannah & Caroline Melby. The series received praise from historians, critics, music lovers and Civil War enthusiasts.

"I Sang the Song"

During 2016, Jutz, together with Peter Cooper and 91-year-old country music legend

, spent nine Sunday afternoons at Wiseman's house writing material based on the stories Wiseman would tell of his life. 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

Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with ...

Jim Lauderdale James Russell Lauderdale (born April 11, 1957) is an American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer-songwriter. Since 1986, he has released 31 studio albums, including collaborations with artists such as Dr. Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller, and ...

, Shawn Camp,

, Justin Moses,

Andrea Zonn Andrea Elizabeth Zonn (born 1969) is a singer and fiddle player who grew up in Urbana, Illinois. She grew up in an environment surrounded by music. She sings, and plays classical violin, and is fluent in numerous other musical genres. Zonn first ...

and

Mark Fain Kentucky Thunder, or Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, is the band that plays with American country and bluegrass singer Ricky Skaggs. Many members of the band have won numerous awards. Bandleader Ricky Skaggs plays mandolin and is the ...

Discography

Solo albums

*''To Live in Two Worlds, Vol 1 & 2'' (Mountain Home, 2020) *''Crazy If You Let It'' ( Mountain Fever, 2017) *''Volunteer Trail'' (Self released, 2016) *''Work'' (Self released, 2010)

Collaborative albums

*Tim Stafford & Thomm Jutz: ''Lost Voices'' ( Mountain Fever Records, due 2022) *

Tammy Rogers Tammy may refer to: *Tam o' Shanter (cap), a Scottish hat * ''Tammy'' (film series), a series of four films **''Tammy and the Bachelor'', the first film in the series ** "Tammy" (song), a popular song from ''Tammy and the Bachelor'' ** ''Tammy'' (T ...

& Thomm Jutz: ''Surely Will Be Singing'' ( Mountain Fever Records, 2021) *Eric Brace, Peter Cooper & Thomm Jutz: ''Riverland'' ( Red Beet Records, 2018) *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) *Billy Goodman & Thomm Jutz: ''Ghost Town'' (2011)

As producer

* Bill Anderson &

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

: ''Someday It’ll All Make Sense'' (single,

MCA Nashville Universal Music Group Nashville is Universal Music Group's country music subsidiary. Some of the labels in this group include MCA Nashville Records, Mercury Nashville Records, Lost Highway Records, Capitol Records Nashville and EMI Records Nashv ...

) (co-produced with Bill Anderson) *Bill Anderson: '' The Hits Re-Imagined'' (TWI) (co-produced with Bill Anderson) *

: ''

The Loving Kind "The Loving Kind" is a song by English-Irish girl group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth studio album '' Out of Control'' (2008). The song was written by Pet Shop Boys, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and pro ...

'' (

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by Al ...

) (co-produced with Pat McInerney) *

: ''I Sang The Song'' (co-produced with Peter Cooper) *Mac Wiseman: ''Songs From My Mother's Hand '' (co-produced with Peter Cooper) *Various Artists: ''The 1861 Project, Vols. 1-3'' *

Sid Griffin Albert Sidney "Sid" Griffin (born September 18, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist-mandolinist, bandleader, and author who lives in London, England. He led the Long Ryders band in the 1980s, founded the Coal Porters group in t ...

: ''The Trick Is To Breathe'' *

Steve Young Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...

: ''Songlines Revisited Volume One'' *Eric Brace & Peter Cooper : ''C&O Canal'' *

Richard Dobson Richard James Joseph Dobson II (March 19, 1942 – December 16, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and author. Dobson was part of the outlaw country movement and spent time in the 1970s with Townes Van Zandt, Mickey White, Rex "Wrecks" B ...

: ''From A Distant Shore'' *

: ''Harder Than Hammered Hell'' *

Todd Snider Todd Daniel Snider (born October 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter whose music incorporates elements of folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk. Early career Todd Snider was born in Portland, Oregon, but was raised in nearby Beave ...

: ''Cheatham Street Warehouse'' (co-produced with Peter Cooper) *

: ''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) *Jon Weisberger: ''I've Been Mostly Awake '' (Jutz and Kim Richey are featured on the track ''Everything is Broken'')

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 2022 International Bluegrass Music Awards – nomination for Song of the Year: ''Riding The Chief'' *IBMA 2021 International Bluegrass Music Awards – Winner, Songwriter of the Year *Grammy Awards 2021 – nomination in Bluegrass category for ''To Live in Two Worlds, Vol. 1'' *IBMA 2019 International Bluegrass Music Awards – nomination for Songwriter of the Year *IBMA 2018 International Bluegrass Music Awards – nomination for Songwriter of the Year *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) *SESAC 2013 Nashville Music Awards for contributions to the album '' Thorn In My Heart'' recorded by Kim Richey *

SESAC SESAC is a for-profit performance-rights organization in the United States. Founded in 1930 as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, it is the second-oldest performance-rights organization in the United States.

2009 Americana Performance Activity Award (with Charley Stefl) for contribution to the album ''The Loving Kind'' recorded by Nanci Griffith *Member of IBMA ''Leadership Bluegrass'' class of 2015 *Member of Nashville's ''Leadership Music'' class of 2013

References

External links

Official website

1861 Project
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jutz, Thomm Living people 1969 births Musicians from Nashville, Tennessee Record producers from Tennessee German emigrants to the United States The Blue Moon Orchestra members