    Local Gospel Great Passes Away at Age 82Paul “Bud” Tutmarc started television, radio shows; recorded 25 albums; guitars part of Experience Music Project
SEATTLE—His father pioneered the invention of the electric guitar, Paul “Bud” Tutmarc Jr. spent his life playing it. For five decades, Tutmarc dedicated himself to spreading his faith by sharing his music, recording 25 albums and playing his Hawaiian steel guitar in front of audiences across the world. He passed away Monday afternoon, Dec. 4, surrounded by his wife and children. Tutmarc’s father invented the world’s first electric guitar in the early 1930s (although he didn’t receive credit for it initially, click here for more) while Paul Jr. was still a boy growing up in Centralia. It didn’t take the younger Tutmarc long to fall in love with his father’s invention and to realize its potential to help him win hearts and minds. “He loved music for music’s sake,” said his eldest son, Greg. “But he also felt it was the best way to spread Christianity. He believed in the music and the message. They were both important to him.” In pursuit of those twin beliefs, Tutmarc helped bring a weekly gospel show to Seattle’s airwaves in the early days of local television, established Gospel Monday Musicales in Seattle’s Moore Theater, Masonic Temple and Civic Auditorium in the early 1950s, and hosted the Tutmarc Gospel Talent Time on KGDN radio, with winners receiving recording contracts. In later years, he directed several youth choirs and used contacts made throughout his long performing career to help organize and lead more than 30 tours to Asia, Europe and Australia. Tutmarc also followed in his father’s footsteps more directly, manufacturing his own guitars, several of which sit alongside Paul Sr.’s inventions at the Experience Music Project museum. Eventually he opened his own studio and helped many aspiring artists produce their albums. A music scholarship fund is being created in Tutmarc’s honor at his alma mater, Northwest University, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1945 (at that time the school was called Northwest Bible Institute).
Paul “Bud” Tutmarc, Jr.
Born July 11, 1924, in Centralia to Paul and Lorraine Tutmarc, Bud graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1941 and was valedictorian of Northwest Bible Institute (now Northwest University) in 1945. He married his wife, Opal Ogden, that same year. Bud worked as a foreman and draftsman for Pope Machine Company in Seattle and later founded two local companies, Tutmarc Realty in 1950 and Jeryl Ann Construction a few years later. All told, Bud spent 40 years in the real estate business and also built more than 100 individual homes throughout the Northwest. But Bud’s true passion was always music. His Hawaiian steel guitar playing was world-renowned; he performed gospel concerts all over the world and took musical groups to Europe, Australia and Asia more than 30 times. He was especially devoted to gospel music. He started a local weekly program devoted to the music during the early days of television, established Gospel Monday Musicales in Seattle’s Moore Theater, Masonic Temple and Civic Auditorium in the early 1950s, and hosted the Tutmarc Gospel Talent Time on KGDN radio, with winners receiving recording contracts. Bud served as music director of several churches, including 26 years at Calvary Temple (now Calvary Christian Assembly), three years at Calvary Chapel and six at Lynnwood Assembly Church. He also directed the Northwest District Youth choirs for many years. Bud recorded more than 25 albums, and eventually owned and operated his own studio, Tutmarc-Summit Studios, where he produced many albums for other artists. In addition to his recording and performing careers, Bud manufactured electric steel guitars. Both his guitars and his father’s pioneering electric guitar inventions are featured at the Experience Music Project museum. An active force in his community, Bud served on the board of directors for Youth for Christ, Teen Challenge Seattle and Union Gospel Mission, and as president of the Hawthorne Hills Community Club. He was also the Goodwill Ambassador for the Aloha International Steel Guitar Club. In his final years, Bud held a monthly hymnbook sing at Shoreline Community Church, which he led until the time of his death. He leaves behind his wife Opal; daughters Pamela and Jeryl; sons Gregory (Brenda), Douglas (Karen) and Michael (Nancy); 11 grandchildren (including Jennifer Fetters, Assistant Director, Financial Aid at Northwest University); two great-grandchildren, sister Paula; and countless friends throughout the world. He is much loved and will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bud Tutmarc Music Scholarship Fund at Northwest University (5520 108th Ave. N.E., Kirkland, WA 98033) or Union Gospel Mission (P.O. Box 202, Seattle, WA 98111). His grandson, Brandon, is creating a web site in his honor: www.budtutmarc.com. A celebration of Bud’s life was held Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at 2 p.m. at Calvary Christian Assembly (formerly Calvary Temple), 6801 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle. If you would like to leave a note for the family but are unable to attend the funeral, you may use the online guestbook. To read the feature story about Bud Tutmarc in The Seattle Times, click here. For more information, contact:
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