Bio

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Pre-Order Jessica Lea Mayfield x Dolour “Pinkerton” on Bandcamp now!

Growing up in Seattle in the 90s Shane Tutmarc is no stranger to big guitars and big hooks, but his songwriting has always shown a deep love for classic pop sensibilities, and more often than not will trade power chords for ornate, melodic dreamscapes. Fronting Dolour, Tutmarc released his debut Waiting for a World War in 2001, when he was 19. Generating a local buzz that grew to national and international acclaim for 2002’s Suburbiac and 2004’s New Old Friends. By the age of 23 Dolour had a Best Of released in Japan, A Matter of Time 2000-2005. Tutmarc set Dolour aside in 2007 with the sprawling double album The Years In The Wilderness. Over the next decade Tutmarc pursued projects ranging from American roots with the family band Shane Tutmarc & The Traveling Mercies, a soulful singer-songwriter era that led Tutmarc to relocate to Nashville, and electronic psych rock with Solar Twin that brought him back to his bedroom masterpiece roots. Since moving to Nashville he’s become a sought-after producer and multi-instrumentalist, working with many artists (Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Explorers Club, Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger, Star Anna, Tanya Montana Coe) in the studio and on the road. In late 2019 Tutmarc began work on the first Dolour album in over a decade. Recorded at home, performing every instrument himself, June 2020’s The Royal We put Dolour back on the radar of indie fans around the globe. The response inspired Tutmarc to continue with April 2021’s Televangelist which became Tutmarc’s biggest album to date. This Dolour revival era has found Tutmarc weaving a new commitment to pushing his creative boundaries along with inspired reimaginings of his early work (Origin Story revisits highlights from his early albums, and 2024’s New Old Friends xx celebrates the 20th anniversary of Dolour’s landmark album with a fresh take on the material). This latest chapter of Dolour feels like past and present timelines have converged into perfect harmony.

PRESS CLIPPINGS

"Tutmarc combines elements of garage-rock, folk, blues, country, gospel and pop into emotionally searing songs of spiritual disquiet and personal heartache."
- DON YATES, KEXP MUSIC DIRECTOR

"In the beginning, rock 'n' roll fused country, boogie-woogie and the blues. This up-tempo alloy of country, rhythm and blues is where Tutmarc reigns. It could be called modern roots because, yeah, it's a little bit rockabilly, a little bit '50s rock, maybe some cool cat swing in there, too. On top of everything, though, is Tutmarc's spirited voice, which is at home snarling or crooning, wherever the spirit takes him."
- SHAWN TELFORD, SEATTLE PI

"From the opening notes of his latest album, Shouting at a Silent Sky, it's obvious the land of Elvis and Faulkner has had a profound impact on the Seattle-born singer-songwriter. With his pencil-thin mustache and bowler hat, Tutmarc looks like he could be the star of a 1930s European film. But when he opens his mouth to sing, out comes a brass twang halfway between Dwight Yoakam and a young Steve Earle."
- BRIAN BARR, SEATTLE WEEKLY