Home / Arts and Entertainment / Alt-Country Pioneer Bruce Tull Dies at 71
Alt-Country Pioneer Bruce Tull Dies at 71
29 Jun
Summary
- Bruce Tull, guitarist for Scud Mountain Boys, has died.
- He passed away on June 22 after a brief illness.
- Tull was a key figure in the Nineties alt-country scene.
Bruce Tull, a foundational guitarist and pedal steel player for the Nineties alt-country group Scud Mountain Boys, died on June 22 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 71 and succumbed to a brief illness. Tull met his future bandmates in 1991 while pursuing a PhD in economics at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.
The band, initially known as the Scuds, evolved from alt-rock to a more acoustic, country-influenced sound, famously performing around a kitchen table. Their 1995 debut album, Pine Box, was recorded in this intimate setting, with Tull handling recording and mixing. A second album, Dance the Night Away, also released in 1995, followed.
Scud Mountain Boys later signed with Sub Pop, releasing their acclaimed 1996 album, Massachusetts. The record garnered significant attention for its dreamy melodies and dark, bleak lyrics. The band reunited for a fourth album, Do You Love the Sun, in 2013, and continued to perform with their signature kitchen table setup.
Beyond his work with Scud Mountain Boys, Tull was a vital presence in the Western Massachusetts music community, producing and playing on numerous local records.
