Russ Tolman

Russ Tolman is a singer/songwriter and recording artist who has spent several decades proving that persistence is a musical genre. A veteran of the Los Angeles roots-rock scene and head wrangler of the Paisley Underground adjacent True West, Tolman writes songs for people who like their melodies strong, their lyrics literate, and their coffee consumed, not curated. His music lives somewhere between rock, folk, and Americana-territory populated by flawed narrators, late-night realizations, and the quiet suspicion that things didn't turn out exactly as planned, but maybe better than expected. Tolman's latest album, STRAY, arriving in late spring 2026, finds him leaning into that perspective with conviction and a clear-eyed sense of purpose. The record features Tom Heyman (Chuck Prophet, Hiss Golden Messenger, Alejandro Escovedo) on guitar and pedal steel, adding just the right measure of ache and atmosphere. Mike Coykendall (M. Ward, She & Him) handles drums, bonhomie, and backing vocals, while San Francisco journeyman Rusty Miller fills out the picture on bass, piano, and harmonies. These players along with an extra backing voice or two bring Tolman's songs vividly to life without stepping on the furniture.

1. Streets of Denim
   
2. My Way Back
   
3. Make It Fine
   
4. It's Because
   
5. Why Do We Fight
   
6. If It's Really Got to Be This Way
   
7. Stray
   
8. Our Love
   
9. Back to Yesterday
   
10. Hello Rising Sun