# Tim Schuller

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**Tim "Mit" Schuller** *(né* **Fredric Thomas Schuller**; [Salem, Ohio](/source/Salem,_Ohio) – 29 February 2012, [Dallas](/source/Dallas), Texas) was an American, [Dallas–Fort Worth](/source/Dallas%E2%80%93Fort_Worth)-based music critic, who, for 37 years – from 1975 until his death – chronicled living [blues](/source/Blues) and [jazz](/source/Jazz) musicians, mostly from Texas (particularly from the Dallas–Fort Worth area and the Southwest).

## Career

Some of Schullers writings – notably those about [Freddie King](/source/Freddie_King), [Buster Smith](/source/Buster_Smith), and [Lightnin' Hopkins](/source/Lightnin'_Hopkins) – have been cited in academic and encyclopedic publications. According to a *[Buddy](/source/Buddy_(magazine))* magazine staff editor, Schuller provided blues pianist Boston Smith *(né* Boston Beverly Smith; 1907–1989) ([Buster Smith](/source/Buster_Smith)'s brother) with an [epitaph](/source/Epitaph) worthy of his achievements.[1]

He also was an update editor of the 2002 revised edition of *MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide* ([Schirmer Trade Books](/source/Schirmer_Trade_Books) / [Omnibus Press](/source/Omnibus_Press)). 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 (1908–1956) and Mary Louise Layden (maiden; 1912–2005).[2] Tim's father, who had been a newspaper journalist, died when he was seven. As a teenager, Tim attended [Salem High School](/source/Salem_High_School_(Ohio)), graduating in 1967.[3] During his senior year, he was the feature editor of the *Salem Quaker,* his high school newspaper.[4] Tim went on to study at [Kent State University at Salem](/source/Kent_State_University_at_Salem), but did not graduate. In Ohio, Schuller had worked as a musician (playing guitar), a factory worker, and a [stringer](/source/Stringer_(journalism)) reporter.[5]

Schuller then moved to Chicago with his childhood friend from Salem, Tom "Mot" Dutko *(né* Thomas Lawrence Dutko; 1949–2017), a blues drummer.[6] Who went on to record with Little Al Thomas and the Crazy Horse Band, [Billy Branch](/source/Billy_Branch), and [Eddie Shaw](/source/Eddie_Shaw). In Chicago, Schuller played with [Robert Lockwood Jr.](/source/Robert_Lockwood_Jr.) and [John Brim](/source/John_Brim).[7] Dutko also played drums for [Big Walter Horton](/source/Big_Walter_Horton), [Sunnyland Slim](/source/Sunnyland_Slim), [Homesick James](/source/Homesick_James), Jimmy Walker, [Erwin Helfer](/source/Erwin_Helfer), and [Eddie Taylor](/source/Eddie_Taylor).

Schuller moved to Dallas around 1977 and briefly embarked in the record business. In 1977, he was worked at [Peaches Records & Tapes](/source/Peaches_Records_%26_Tapes) at Cole and Fitzhugh Avenues, Dallas. Ken E. Shimamoto (born 1957), a music journalist in Dallas worked there with him.[8] In 1980, Schuller was assistant manager at Sound Town at the [Valley View Mall](/source/Valley_View_Center_at_Dallas_Midtown) in Dallas.[9][a]

Over the next 35 years, Schuller contributed to the following newspapers, periodicals, and records:

**Periodicals and newspapers**

1. *[Guitar Player](/source/Guitar_Player),* *[Living Blues](/source/Living_Blues),* *Blues Access*
1. *The Met* (Dallas' arts & entertainment weekly)
1. *Southwest Blues*
1. *[DownBeat](/source/DownBeat)*
1. *[Buddy](/source/Buddy_(magazine))* magazine
1. *Texas Jazz*
1. *[Juke Blues](/source/Juke_Blues)*
1. *[Coda](/source/Coda_(magazine))*
1. *Crazy Music* (the journal of the Australian Blues Society)
1. *[D Magazine](/source/D_Magazine)*
1. *[Dallas Morning News](/source/Dallas_Morning_News),*
1. *[Dallas Observer](/source/Dallas_Observer)*
1. *[Texas Observer](/source/Texas_Observer)*
1. *[Contemporary Keyboard](/source/Keyboard_(magazine))*
1. *[Texas Highways](/source/Texas_Highways)*
1. *[Akron Beacon Journal](/source/Akron_Beacon_Journal)*

**Discography**

1. Lucky Seven Records
1. [Black Top](/source/Black_Top_Records)
1. [Trix](/source/Trix_Records)
1. [Wolf Records](/source/Wolf_Records_(Vienne)) [(de)](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Records) ([Vienna, Austria](/source/Vienna,_Austria))
1. [Bullseye Blues](/source/Bullseye_Blues)
1. [Fedora Records](/source/Fedora_Records)
1. [Blind Pig](/source/Blind_Pig_Records)
1. TKO Magnum Music
1. Blue Moon
1. Continental Blue Heaven (distributed by [Harmonia Mundi](/source/Harmonia_Mundi))
1. [Cannonball Records](/source/Cannonball_Records) [(nl)](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Records) 29110
1. [AudioQuest Music](/source/AudioQuest_Music)
1. TopCat Records
1. Mayhem Records
1. [JSP](/source/JSP_Records)

## Affiliations

- In 1987, Schuller – with Chuck Nevitt *(né* Charles Franklin Nevitt; 1956–2015) (record collector), Brian "Hash Brown" Calway *(né* Brian Everett Calway; born 1955) (blues musician) – founded the Dallas Blues Society.[10]

## Tributes

- Tim Schuller benefit, Poor David's Pub, Dallas, May 27, 2012[11]

## Father, family, and death

Schuller's father, Fred Kane Schuller had been a journalist in Pennsylvania and Ohio with over 13 newspapers,[12] He had been in the editorial staff with the *Youngstown Telegram* (around 1935), staff editor for several years at the *[Cleveland News](/source/Cleveland_News)*, night sports editor at the *[Pittsburgh Press](/source/Pittsburgh_Press)* (around 1940), editorial staff of the *[Daily News](/source/Pittsburgh_Tribune-Review)* ([McKeesport, Pennsylvania](/source/McKeesport,_Pennsylvania)), managing editor of the *[Lorain Journal](/source/The_Morning_Journal),* and, near his death, worked for a stint at the *[Saint Petersburg Times](/source/Saint_Petersburg_Times)*. He was also an [AP](/source/Associated_Press) writer and contributor to *[Collier's](/source/Collier's)* and the *[Saturday Evening Post](/source/Saturday_Evening_Post)*. He was a personal friend of [John Barrymore](/source/John_Barrymore), and after his death, corresponded with the family, including [Lionel Barrymore](/source/Lionel_Barrymore).[12]

Schuller's mother, Mary Louise Layden (maiden), died in 2005 in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).[2] His older sister, Molly Davis *(née* Molly Lou Schuller)[13] has lived in New York City since the 1950s.[citation needed]

Tim Schuller died February 29, 2012, in Dallas.[14] He is buried in Salem, Ohio, at Grandview Cemetery.

## Notes about cited periodicals and labels

### Books

1. *MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide* (1998) Edited by Leland Rucker Foreword by [Al Kooper](/source/Al_Kooper) 1st Paper, 1st Printing edition (1997) [Visible Ink Press](/source/Visible_Ink_Press) OCLC [44504664](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44504664), OCLC [244114213](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/244114213) ISBN 1-5785-9030-2 ISBN 978-1-5785-9030-8 Revised & updated (January 1, 2002) Leland Rucker (ed.) [Al Kooper](/source/Al_Kooper) (forward) Tim Schuller (update editor) [Schirmer Trade Books](/source/Schirmer_Trade_Books) [Omnibus Press](/source/Omnibus_Press) OCLC [49244319](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49244319) ISBN 0-8256-7267-8 ISBN 978-0825-6726-75

### Periodicals

### Record labels

## Notes and references

### Notes

1. Sound-Town-Dallas-info

### References

1. ["Not Fade Away: Buddy writers and photographers recorded the 1973 Kerrville Folk Festival, Willie’s first Fourth of July Picnic, the Texas Jam, the rebirth of Deep Ellum and the rise of social media,"](http://buddymagazine.com/pdf/2018/201807-not-fade-away.pdf) by Bellicose Bullfeather *(pseudonym of* Stoney Burnes; *né* Brent LaSalle Stein; born 1942), *[Buddy](/source/Buddy_(magazine))*, July 2018, p. 12 ISSN [0192-9097](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0192-9097); OCLC [52985380](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/52985380).

1. ["Vital Statistics – Mary Louise Schuller"](http://www.salem.lib.oh.us/SalemNewsFilm/). *The Salem News*. [Salem, Ohio](/source/Salem,_Ohio): Michael C. Bird. April 3, 2005. p. 2A. Retrieved March 7, 2022. – via Salem Public Library. [LCCN](/source/LCCN) [sn83035512](https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83035512/); OCLC [9994387](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9994387).

1. "Thomas Schuller". *Quaker*(the yearbook of Salem Senior High School)'**. Vol. 44. 1967. pp. 32, 97, 121.****OCLC [1333026669](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1333026669) (accessible via [Ancestry.com](/source/Ancestry.com)).**

1. Schuller, Tim (June 2, 1967). ["How Safe Is Safe? – Bus’s Flat Tire Awakens Concern"](http://history.salem.lib.oh.us/SalemHistory//Quakernewspapers/1967/Vol_52_No_13_Jun_1967.pdf). *Salem Quaker*. Vol. 52, no. 13. [Salem, Ohio](/source/Salem,_Ohio): [Salem High School](/source/Salem_High_School_(Ohio)). p. 2. Retrieved June 13, 2019. (note: Schuller's title as "feature editor" is displayed in the [masthead](/source/Masthead_(American_publishing)), below the article on page 2)

1. [*Presenters: Tim Schuller*](http://dallaslibrary2.org/fineArts/docs/conferenceBios09.pdf). Texas Music Mini‐Conference. Dallas Public Library. May 30, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

1. ["Obituaries: Thomas Dutko"](http://www.tribtoday.com/obituaries/2017/07/thomas-dutko/). *Tribune Chronicle*. July 2, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2019.

1. O'Brien, Justin (October 2017). ["Tom 'Mot' Dutko"](http://digital.livingblues.com/publication/?i=440353&p=79). *Living Blues*. Vol. 48, no. 5. p. 77. Retrieved June 13, 2019. (whole no. issue 251)

1. [Blog of Ken Shimamoto](https://stashdauber.blogspot.com/2012/03/), *The Stash Dauber,* March 10, 2012

1. Kirby, Kip (July 12, 1980). ["Texas Heat, Winds Give Disk & Tape Sales a Push"](https://books.google.com/books?id=kSQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT11&dq=%22%22tim%22%2B%22schuller%22%22). *Billboard*. Vol. 92, no. 28. p. 12. Retrieved June 13, 2019. – via [Google Books](/source/Google_Books)

1. McNear, Clay (April 3, 1961). ["Blues to the Rescue"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/640275936). *Fort Worth Star-Telegram*. p. 25. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. [*Pat Boyack/Tim Schuller Benefit*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_iugZAi4aE). teebeeferris. May 27, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2019. – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

1. ["Fred Kane Schuller, 45; Veteran Newsman, Writer"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/315768027/) (obituary). *St. Petersburg Times*. Vol. 72, no. 284. May 5, 1956. p. 28. Retrieved March 7, 2022. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) LCCN sn82015883; ISSN [1563-6291](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1563-6291); OCLC [5920090](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/5920090).

1. ["Molly Schuller, 16, Wins Vocal Honors"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/87390281/). *The Salem News*. Vol. 65, no. 109. May 7, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved August 15, 2022. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) [LCCN](/source/LCCN) [sn83035512](https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83035512/); OCLC [9994387](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9994387).

1. Wilonsky, Robert (February 29, 2012). ["Dallas Blues and Jazz Historian Tim Schuller, Once an *Observer* Contributor, Has Died"](https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-blues-and-jazz-historian-tim-schuller-once-an-observer-contributor-has-died-7149905) (Blog). *Dallas Observer*. Retrieved June 13, 2019.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tim Schuller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Schuller) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Schuller?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.