Bio/Press » Shane Tutmarc

The Seattle singer-songwriter’s latest album (and the first recorded under just his own name) is not only his most musically well-rounded record, it’s also his best. Accompanied by Seattle mainstays Johnny Sangster (who also produced the album) and brother Jim Sangster along with Mark Pickerel and Ty Bailie, 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

"Shane Tutmarc Finds His Voice in the Land of Faulkner"
BRIAN J. BARR / June 10, 2009 / Seattle Weekly
"The South has definitely been calling me," says Shane Tutmarc, who first visited the region last June. 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."
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"SeattleNoise: Shane Tutmarc and the Traveling Mercies"
SHAWN TELFORD / May 29, 2008 / Seattle PI
"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."
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"Interview: With the Traveling Mercies, Shane Tutmarc Is Bringing It All Back Home"
By SPIKE / January 23, 2008 / KEXP Blog
"When I first heard Shane Tutmarc and the Traveling Mercies on KEXP, the contrast to Dolour was such that I didn’t even recognize the vocalist. With an old-timey sound, sparse arrangements and nary a frill to speak of, everything served the song — with plenty of room left for some good old fashioned slapback echo to fill any remaining space. I assumed this was a side project, another accomplishment from a songwriter so talented he could dip his toe into another genre on a whim and turn out a rockin’, irresistible album. As it turns out, the Traveling Mercies are not in the slightest a temporary diversion."
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"Shane Tutmarc finds healing in his roots"
TOM SCANLON / October 19, 2007 / Seattle Times
"The slightly cracking voice is the same as in Dolour, but the musical style veers off on a different course. Rather than the blissful, Brian Wilson-esque pop of Dolour, songs like "Across the River" and "Search Me Lord" have the Traveling Mercies playing gospel-tinged R&B. "This is the music I need to heal," Shane Tutmarc said. Reflecting that fire-eyed sincerity is the title of the Traveling Mercies debut CD: "I'm Gonna Live the Life I Sing About in My Song."
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