Tim Schuller


Tim "Mit" Schuller '' was an American, Dallas-Fort Worth-based music critic, who, for 37 years – from 1975 until his death – chronicled living blues and jazz musicians, mostly from Texas.

Career

Some of Schullers writings – notably those about Freddie King, Buster Smith, and Lightnin' Hopkins – have been cited in academic and encyclopedic publications. According to a Buddy magazine staff editor, Schuller provided blues pianist Boston Smith with an epitaph worthy of his achievements.
He also was an update editor of the 2002 revised edition of MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. At the time of his death, he had been writing a book, Scorning All Borders'', covering 30 years of writing about Texas jazz and blues artists.

Early years

Schuller was born in Salem, Ohio, to Frederick Kane Schuller and Mary Louise Layden. Tim's father, who had been a newspaper journalist, died when he was seven. As a teenager, Tim attended Salem High School, graduating in 1967. During his senior year, he was the feature editor of the Salem Quaker, his high school newspaper. Tim went on to study at Kent State University at Salem, but did not graduate. In Ohio, Schuller had worked as a musician, a factory worker, and a stringer reporter.
Schuller then moved to Chicago with his childhood friend from Salem, Tom "Mot" Dutko , a blues drummer. Who went on to record with Little Al Thomas and the Crazy Horse Band, Billy Branch, and Eddie Shaw. In Chicago, Schuller played with Robert Lockwood Jr. and John Brim. Dutko also played drums for Big Walter Horton, Sunnyland Slim, Homesick James, Jimmy Walker, Erwin Helfer, and Eddie Taylor.
Schuller moved to Dallas around 1977 and briefly embarked in the record business. In 1977, he was worked at Peaches Records & Tapes at Cole and Fitzhugh Avenues, Dallas. Ken E. Shimamoto, a music journalist in Dallas worked there with him. In 1980, Schuller was assistant manager at Sound Town at the Valley View Mall in Dallas.
Over the next 35 years, Schuller contributed to the following newspapers, periodicals, and records:
Periodicals and newspapers
  1. Guitar Player, Living Blues, Blues Access
  2. The Met
  3. Southwest Blues
  4. DownBeat
  5. Buddy magazine
  6. Texas Jazz
  7. Juke Blues
  8. Coda
  9. Crazy Music
  10. D Magazine
  11. Dallas Morning News,
  12. Dallas Observer
  13. Texas Observer
  14. Contemporary Keyboard
  15. Texas Highways
  16. Akron Beacon Journal''
Discography
  1. Lucky Seven Records
  2. Black Top
  3. Trix
  4. Wolf Records :de:Wolf Records|
  5. Bullseye Blues
  6. Fedora Records
  7. Blind Pig
  8. TKO Magnum Music
  9. Blue Moon
  10. Continental Blue Heaven
  11. Cannonball Records :nl:Cannonball Records| 29110
  12. AudioQuest Music
  13. TopCat Records
  14. Mayhem Records
  15. JSP

    Affiliations

Schuller's father, Fred Kane Schuller had been a journalist in Pennsylvania and Ohio with over 13 newspapers, He had been in the editorial staff with the Youngstown Telegram, staff editor for several years at the Cleveland News, night sports editor at the Pittsburgh Press, editorial staff of the Daily News, managing editor of the Lorain Journal, and, near his death, worked for a stint at the Saint Petersburg Times. He was also an AP writer and contributor to Collier's and the Saturday Evening Post. He was a personal friend of John Barrymore, and after his death, corresponded with the family, including Lionel Barrymore.
Schuller's mother, Mary Louise Layden, died in 2005 in New York City. His older sister, Molly Davis '', a 1953 graduate of Willoughby High School, has lived in New York City since the 1950s.
Tim Schuller died February 29, 2012, in Dallas. He is buried in Salem at Grandview Cemetery.

Selected work

Reference books



  1. The Voice of The Blues

    Part I interview by Tim "Mit" Schuller

    Part II interview by Bruce Iglauer, Hans Schweitz, Janne Rosenqvist

    Jim O'Neal & Amy van Singel

    Routledge

    Note: This is a re-print from the Living Blues, Vol. 31, March–April 1977

  2. MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide

    Leland Rucker

    Al Kooper

    Tim Schuller

    Schirmer Trade Books



    ;
Newspaper magazines

  1. "Blind Joe's Blues"



    By Mit Schuller

    Photos by Paul Tople

    Beacon



    May 30, 1976, pps. 10–11, 14, 16, 20

  2. "Robert Junior Lockwood and His Blues Guitar"

    By Thomas Schuller

    Photos by Robert E. Dorksen

    Sunday Plain Dealer Magazine

    September 19, 1976, pps. 32–34, 36, 45

Guitar Player

  1. "Robert Jr. Lockwood: Master of the Blues"

    By Tim "Mit" Schuller

    Guitar Player

    No. 9, No. 11

    November 1975, p. 12+
  2. "Tutu Jones: South Dallas Soul"



    By Tim "Mit" Schuller

    Guitar Player

    Vol. 30, No. 9

    September 1996, p. 20
Downbeat

  1. "Profile: Alex Moore"



    By Tim Schuller

    DownBeat

    Vol. 46, No. 13

    July 12, 1979, pps. 40–42
Living Blues



  1. By Thomas Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 30

    November–December 1976, pp. 12–13
  2. "Freddie King, 1934–1976"



    By Mit Schuller &

    Bruce Iglauer

    Living Blues

    No. 31

    March–April 1977, pps. 7–11

  3. "Lightnin' Hopkins at the Granada Theater, Dallas, Texas"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 35

    November–December 1977
  4. "Alex Moore: Whistlin' the Blues"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 35

    November–December 1977, pps. 8–10
  5. "The Johnnie 'Two-Voice' Story"

    Johnnie Morisette

    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 49

    Winter 1980–1981
  6. "The Night of the Patriarch: An Account of the Recording of Alex Moore



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 83

    November–December 1988, pps. 28–29
  7. "The Return of Zuzu Bollin: Lone Star Bluemaster"

    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 89

    November–December 1989
  8. "Zuzu Bollin"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living' Blues

    No. 95

    January–February 1991
  9. "Tutu Jones"

    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 120

    March–April 1995, pps. 39–41
  10. "Dallas Blues: Andrew 'Junior Boy' Jones"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues
    No. 129

    September–October 1996, p. 48
  11. "Dallas Blues: R.L. Griffin"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues
    No. 129

    September–October 1996, pps. 42–46
  12. "The Second Coming of Bobby Patterson"



    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 139

    May–June 1998, pps. 36–39
  13. "Record Reviews: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "The Essential Johnny 'Guitar' Watson"



    Living Blues

    By Tim Schuller

    Vol. 33 No. 6

    2002, pg. 78

  14. "Take It From Uncle Sneed: Andrew 'Junior Boy' Jones"

    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 168

    June–July–August 2003, pps. 42–47
  15. "Big Al Dupree"





    By Tim Schuller

    Living Blues

    No. 171

    January–February 2004, pps. 63–64
D Magazine





  1. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    October 1977




  2. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    March 1978

  3. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    June 1978

  4. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    February 1979




  5. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    July 1989


  6. "For musician Dennis Gonzalez, creativity prevents 'a living death'"



    By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    December 1989


  7. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    May 1990




  8. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    January 1991




  9. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    May 1992




  10. By Tim Schuller

    D Magazine

    June 1992
Dallas Observer

Schuller was music editor of the Dallas Observer in the 1980s.



  1. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    May 22, 1997


  2. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    October 23, 1997


  3. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    February 26, 1998


  4. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    January 22, 1998


  5. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    January 8, 1998


  6. By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Observer

    March 5, 1998
Juke Blues

  1. "The Metroplex Blues"

    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 9

    Summer 1987, p. 22
  2. "The Boston Smith Story"

    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 12

    Spring 1988, pps. 20–22
  3. "Alex Moore"



    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 16

    Summer 1989, p. 35
  4. "Zu Zu Bollin"

    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 22

    Winter–Spring 1991
  5. "R.L. Griffin: The Renaissance Man of South Dallas"



    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 28

    Spring 1993, pps. 14–16
  6. "Magnum Force Blues: The Smokin' Joe Kubek Band Featuring Bnois King"

    By Tim Schuller

    Juke Blues

    No. 28

    Spring 1993, p. 16
Blues Access

  1. "Jimmy Rogers: Not Giving Up on the Blues"



    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    Spring 1991
  2. "Cleveland's Finest Goes on Record"

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 6

    Summer 1991, pps. 22–26


  3. By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 10

    Summer 1992, pps. 6–10
  4. "R.L. Griffin"

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 10

    Summer 1992, pps. 8
  5. "North Texas Blues"

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 20

    Winter 1994–1995, pps. 22–29


  6. By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 24

    Winter 1996
  7. "'Till I Find My Way Home:' The Lost Brownie McGhee Interview"



    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 26

    Summer 1996




  8. Black Magic 9002

    CD Review

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 27

    Fall 1996
  9. "'Little Boy' Comes Into His Own"

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 36

    Winter 1999, pps. 22–23, 25

  10. By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 42

    Summer 2000, pps. 30–33
  11. "Willie Willis "

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 42

    Summer 2000, pps. 56, 58
  12. "South Side Slim: The Left Coast's Strong New Voice"

    By Tim Schuller

    Blues Access

    No. 46

    Summer 2001, pps. 16–18
Buddy

  1. "Anson Examined"

    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    September 1992
  2. "Bugs Henderson Bares His Guitarist's Soul"



    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    August 1993
  3. "W.C. Clark Opens the Books"



    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    October 1994



  4. By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    April 1995
  5. "The James Clay Story"



    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    May 1995
  6. "Has Brave Combo Gone Too Far?"



    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    June 1995
  7. "The Johnson Testimony: Truth From The Tall Man of Texas R&B"

    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    December 1995




  8. – "Musical expansionism might save our lives"

    By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    December 2008



  9. By Tim Schuller

    Buddy

    No. 13

    December 2011
Texas Jazz

  1. "Music Out of Clay"

    By Tim Schuller

    Texas Jazz

    Vol. 3, No. 1

    November 1979
The Met

  1. "Soul Trained"

    By Tim Schuller

    The Met

    July 27, 1995
  2. "Back to the Future: Sumpter Bruton's Brand of Retro Blues Makes Nostalgia Sound Subversive"



    By Tim Schuller

    The Met

    November 24, 1995
Coda

  1. "The Buster Smith Story"



    By Tim Schuller

    Coda

    December–January 1987 – 1988

Other publications


  1. By Tim Schuller

    Vol. 52, No. 2

    September 23, 1966, p. 2
  2. "Anthem of the Damned"

    By Thomas Schuller

    Starwind

    Autumn 1977
  3. "Robert Junior Lockwood Story"

    By Tim Schuller

    Crazy Music

    No. 11

    December 1977, pps. 4–9, 61
  4. "Alex Moore: Granddaddy of Texas Blues Piano"



    By Tim Schuller

    Contemporary Keyboard

    Vol. 6, No. 1

    January 1980
  5. "A Bright New Jazz Voice"



    By Tim Schuller

    Dallas Morning News

    February 25, 1984, Sec F, pps. 1, 4

  6. "The Barrelhouse Men of Austin"

    Texas Observer

    n.d.

    Durst Family Papers


  7. "The Texas Musician's Museum Rewards a Hillsboro Visit"

    by Tim Schuller

    Texas Highways

    June 2010
  8. Gunsmoke Blues

    Filmed in October 1971 at the University of Oregon, Eugene
    Review by Tim Schuller

    ThatsLiveTV.com
Liner notes

  1. Liquid Magic

    Ahmed Abdullah Quartet

    Ahmed Abdullah, Charles Brackeen, Malachi Favors, Alvin Fielder

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Silkheart SHCD 104

  2. Hot Rhythm & Cool Blues:

    Texas Style

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TopCat Records 119201

  3. Chain Smokin' Texas Style

    Smokin' Joe Kubek

    Featuring B'nois King

    Recorded and mixed at Ardent Studios, Memphis

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Bullseye Blues BB 9524

  4. Radio Mojo

    Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Lucky Seven Records LS 9203

  5. Let The Dogs Run

    Mike Morgan & Jim Suhler

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Black Top CD BT-1106

  6. Texas Blues Party, Vol. 1

    U.P. Wilson: The Texas Tornado Live at Schooner's Dallas

    With Tutu Jones

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Wolf Records 120.630 CD
  7. Texas Blueswomen

    Chonita Turner, Jav-Lyn, Lady Lotion

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Topcat Records TC01962

  8. Blue Texas Soul

    Tutu Jones

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Bullseye Blues

  9. Robert Jr. Lockwood Does 12

    Robert Lockwood, Jr.

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller and

    Peter B. Lowry

    Artwork by Raoul F. Vezina

    Trix 3317

  10. Whirlwind

    U.P. Wilson ; Shawn Kellerman ; Big Joe Turner ; Anthony Gonzales ; Jordan Petterson ; El Torro Gamble, Steve Meek

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

  11. Blues Across America

    The Dallas Scene

    Henry Qualls, Big Al Dupree, Charles Young, Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Cannonball Records :nl:Cannonball Records| 29110

  12. I Need Time

    Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Bullseye Blues CD BB 9588

  13. Texas Blues Party, Vol. 2

    Pete Mayes, Joe "Guitar" Hughes, Robert Ealey, Curly "Barefoot' Miller, and Robin Sylar

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Wolf Records
  14. Best of the Texas Blues Guitar Tornado

    U.P. Wilson

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records JSPCD 808



  15. Staying Power

    Tutu Jones

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Bullseye Blues CD BB 9611

  16. Texas Blues Guitar Summit
    17. Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones, Henry Qualls, U.P. Wilson, Bobby Gilmore, J.B. Wynne, with Brian "Hash Brown" Calway & C.B. Scott

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

  17. Grease, Grit, Dirt & Spit

    Randy McAllister

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

  18. Can't Help But Have the Blues

    Willie Willis & the Wildcatters

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Fedora Records FCD 5009

  19. Burnin' Up

    Shawn Pittman

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Cannonball Records :nl:Cannonball Records| 29110

  20. U.P. Wilson: The Good, The Bad, The Blues

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records JSPCD 2103

  21. Positive Thinking



    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Fedora Records

  22. I'm Here & I'm Gone

    Kirk Fletcher

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

  23. The Lost Tapes

    Muddy Waters

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Blind Pig Records

  24. Journeyman Blues
    25. Muddy Waters

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TKO Magnum Music

  25. Live at Blue Cat Blues

    Jim Suhler & Alan Haynes

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TopCat Records

  26. Leavin' Chicago

    Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, George "Harmonica" Smith, J.B. Hutto, Edward "Bee" Houston, Blues Revue All Stars

    Recorded at the University of Oregon, Washington State University, and Monroe State Prison, Washington in 1971

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TKO Magnum Music CDBM 141

    Blue Moon CDBM 141

  27. Put Your Trust in Me

    Johnny Rawls

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

  28. Big Gilson With Bruce Ewan & The Solid Senders

    Big Gilson

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TopCat Records

  29. Big time in big D

    Memo Gonzalez and the Bluescasters

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Continental Blue Heaven – CBHCD 2008

    Distributed by Harmonia Mundi

  30. South Side Story

    Little Al Thomas & the Crazy Horse Band

    Little Al Thomas ; John Edelmann ; Dave Clark, Van Kelly, Paul Mundy ; Sidney James Wingfield ; Bob Jacobs ; Ed Galchick ; Tom "Mot" Dutko

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Cannonball Records :nl:Cannonball Records| 29110

    AudioQuest Music

  31. Tricked Out

    Robin Sylar

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    TopCat Records

  32. Hoochie Coochie Mannish Boy: On the Road 1971–73

    Muddy Waters

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    Mayhem Records

  33. It's About Time''

    Carol Fran, Clarence Hollimon

    Liner notes by Tim Schuller

    JSP Records

Presentations

  1. Music Library Association, Texas Chapter, November 3, 1989, at the Dallas Public Library in the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library: Tim Schuller, opened Friday's session with a presentation entitled, "Writing in the Grip of the Blues." He focused on the heritage of the blues, especially in the Dallas area.

Books


  1. MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide

    Edited by Leland Rucker

    Foreword by Al Kooper

    1st Paper, 1st Printing edition

    Visible Ink Press









    Revised & updated

    Leland Rucker

    Al Kooper

    Tim Schuller

    Schirmer Trade Books

    Omnibus Press





Periodicals


Record labels