Bill Dutcher

Recipient – Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year – 2008 Phoenix Music Awards – 18th Annual LA Music Awards

When BILL DUTCHER picks up an acoustic guitar, the music that fills the room cannot be branded with a simple sentence. When you see him play live you’re experiencing an event that shatters the pre-conceived notion of what a solo acoustic artist is capable of. You’re witnessing the fusion of six strings, ten fingers, unorthodox instruments and various electronics blend a unique cocktail of rock, blues, classical, middle-eastern and Celtic flavors into an acoustic symphony. When he walks on stage, all rules are thrown out the window and an improvisational circus explodes before your eyes. Every part of the guitar is fair game as he makes it growl, whine and sing to the pounding percussive pops, slaps and pings that emanate from the guitar.
Born and raised in Dublin, Ohio, He played electric lead guitar in various successful bands throughout the Midwest before making the journey towards performing as a solo artist. At the same time he was able to establish relationships as an endorsee with major music manufactures L.R. Baggs Electronics in California and Lakewood Guitars from Germany. Bill relocated to Phoenix in 2005 to bring his music to new audiences.
His vocal ability reaches deep down towards the baritone styling’s of Johnny Cash and soars up to the ethereal echoes of Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. His original lyrics speak of personal experiences that make his songs read like stories from the heart. When performing live, Bill’s intensity shines through as he visually assaults the strings and sonically leaves listeners perplexed. Exotic tunings, two-handed tapping and percussive techniques, along with his ability to keep listeners captivated, has won over audiences nationwide. Bill’s commitment to music along with his stage experience offers a unique entertainment presentation.
Regular listener’s constantly remark about how no two shows are the same. “I love to push the envelope every night, trying to draw in all that is around me and channel that energy through my heart and hands to the audiences’ ears,” Dutcher comments. He has a sixth sense for the art of reading audiences and playing to the dynamic of a venue. Every show sends listeners away saying, “How can one guy and one guitar do this?”