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

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. 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 often appeared on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'', starting in 1985 during season 10. In 1990, Griffith appeared on th ...

(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, Jimmy Buffett, Bettye La ...

Mac Wiseman Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer active for seven decades in the twentieth century. He was part of Bluegrass music's earliest generation, though bluegrass never defined him. ...

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. Earl ...

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 ...

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country music, 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 be ...

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

, Otis Gibbs,

Kim Richey Kimberly Richey (born December 1, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter. Early life Richey was born in Zanesville, Ohio, on December 1, 1956. She grew up in Kettering, Ohio, graduating from Fairmont East High school in 1973. Career Riche ...

Bill Anderson James William Anderson III (born November 1, 1937) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television host. His soft-spoken singing voice earned him the nickname "Whispering Bill" from music critics and writers. As a songwriter, hi ...

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

, 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. Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for his signature blend of humoro ...

, Kim Richey, Junior Sisk, Kenny and Amanda Smith, Balsam Range, Buddy Melton, Milan Miller and

Terry Baucom Terry Baucom (October 6, 1952 – December 7, 2023) was an American bluegrass banjo player, fiddle player, vocalist and band leader. He was nicknamed "The Duke of Drive" for his propelling, driving banjo style. He led his band, The Dukes of Drive ...

. 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, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

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

Belmont University Belmont University is a Private university, private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Descended from Belmont Women's College, founded in 1890 by schoolteachers Ida Hood and Susan Heron, the institution was incorporate ...

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 Uni ...

East Tennessee State University East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. It was historically part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee under the Tennessee Board of Regents, but since 2016, ...

, 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 states of Germany, 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 i ...

in the

Black Forest The Black Forest ( ) is a large forested mountain range in the States of Germany, 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 th ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

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 Detroit ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 census, making it the 26th-most populous 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. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

, Bluegrass and

Folk Music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

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

State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart The State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart is a professional school for musicians and performing artists in Stuttgart, Germany. Founded in 1857, it is one of the oldest schools of its kind in Germany. It is one of the oldest and ...

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

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

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 Wale ...

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 an immigrant visa followed by a permanent resident card. The Immigration Act of 1990 established the curre ...

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, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Artists featured on these albums include

John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * John Anderson (jazz trumpeter) (1921–1974), American musician * Jon Anderson (John Roy Anderson, born 1944), lead singer of the British band Yes * John Anderson (producer) (1948–2024 ...

Jerry Douglas Gerald Calvin Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. He is widely regarded as "perhaps the finest Dobro player in contemporary acoustic music, and certainly the most celebrated and prol ...

Maura O'Connell Maura O'Connell (born 16 September 1958) is an Irish singer. 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 town in Count ...

, Chris Jones,

Sierra Hull Sierra Dawn Hull (born September 27, 1991) is an American Bluegrass music, 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 ...

Jason Ringenberg Jason Ringenberg (born November 22, 1958) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and guitarist and the lead singer of Jason & the Scorchers. The band had several hits, including "Golden Ball and Chain" and a rock version of Bob Dylan's " ...

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, fiddler and music producer. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of eight and recording for the first time at ...

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, ...

, Shawn Camp,

, Justin Moses,

Andrea Zonn Andrea Erica 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 met A ...

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 lea ...

"Nothing But Green Willow"

In 2022, Jutz collaborated with English singer guitarist

Martin Simpson Martin Stewart Simpson (born 5 May 1953) is an English folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. His music reflects a wide variety of influences and styles, rooted in Britain, Ireland, America and beyond. He builds a purposeful, often upbeat voi ...

to shed light on

Appalachian folk songs Appalachian may refer to: * Appalachian Mountains, a major mountain range in eastern United States and Canada * Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail in the eastern United States * The people of Appalachia and their culture ** Appalachian Americans, e ...

collected by

Cecil Sharp Cecil James Sharp (22 November 1859 – 23 June 1924) was an English collector of folk songs, folk dances and instrumental music, as well as a lecturer, teacher, composer and musician. He was a key figure in the folk-song revival in England dur ...

, sung by Jane Gentry and Mary Sands in

Madison County, North Carolina Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,193. Its county seat is Marshall. Madison County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. History ...

. The two women who nobody ever heard sing, unknowingly changed the course of folk music history. The resulting album, “Nothing But Green Willow”, features, from the UK/Ireland,

Cara Dillon Cara Elizabeth Dillon (born 21 July 1975, in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish folk singer. In 1995, she joined the folk supergroup Equation and signed a record deal with Warners Music Group. After leaving t ...

Fay Hield Fay Hield (born 4 February 1978) is a traditional English folk singer and a Professor of Music at the University of Sheffield. Career '' Looking Glass'', released September 2010, was Hield's debut solo album. The material consists mainly of tr ...

Seth Lakeman Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but also plays the viola and banjo. Nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize ...

Angeline Morrison Angeline Morrison is a British multi-instrumentalist musician, songwriter and academic. Life Angeline Morrison was born to a Jamaican mother and a father from the Outer Hebrides. She attended her first folk club at the age of 17, and became act ...

and Emily Portman and from the U.S.

Dale Ann Bradley Dale Ann Bradley is an American bluegrass musician. She is a six-time (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2021) Female Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, a distinction given by the International Bluegrass Music Association. She has released music bo ...

, Justin Moses, Tim O’Brien,

Tammy Rogers Tammy Rogers (born 1966) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. In addition to releasing three albums on the Dead Reckoning Records label (which she founded with Kieran Kane), she is also a founding member of the Grammy ...

and Odessa Settles. It was released on September 29th, 2023 on Topic Records. Ted Olson's liner notes were nominated for Liner Notes of the Year in the IBMA 2024 industry awards.

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: ''Wall Dogs'' (2024) *Eric Brace & Thomm Jutz: ''Simple Motion'' ( Red Beet Records, 2023) *Martin Simpson & Thomm Jutz: ''Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs Of Mary Sands And Jane Gentry'' (

Topic Records Topic Records is a British folk music label, which played a major role in the second British folk revival. It began as an offshoot of the Workers' Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world.M. Brocken ...

, 2023) *Tim Stafford & Thomm Jutz: ''Lost Voices'' ( Mountain Fever Records, 2022) *

& 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

, featuring

Jimmy Fortune Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song " Elizabeth" for the group. When the Statler Brothers disbanded, h ...

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He played in a number of local bluegrass music, bluegrass bands in the 1970s, and from 1978 to 1982, he achieved his first mainstream attention after ta ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

: ''The Country I Grew Up With'' (single,

MCA Nashville Music Corporation of America, formerly known as Universal Music Group Nashville, is Universal Music Group's country music subsidiary. It was officially opened in 1945 as MCA Nashville and Mercury Nashville which opened on New Year's Day 1950 a ...

) (co-produced with Bill Anderson) *Bill Anderson &

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

: ''Someday It’ll All Make Sense'' (single, MCA Nashville) (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 (Girls Aloud album), Out of Control'' (2008). The song was written by Pet Shop Boys, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins (produce ...

'' (

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 A ...

) (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 ...

: ''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, most notably with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Bu ...

: ''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, Blaze Foley, Mickey White, R ...

: ''From A Distant Shore'' * Otis Gibbs: ''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 Snider was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in nearby Beaverton, wher ...

: ''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'') *Dan Evans: ''Au Vieux Moulin'' with guest Stephen Seifert (mountain dulcimer) (Jutz is engineer on two tracks)

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 2023 International Bluegrass Music Awards – nomination for Songwriter of the Year *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
* * {{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