They met at an open-mic night in Bimini Bills in downtown Dayton in 2005 while they were in separate bands. Jamie\u2019s friend and later bridesmaid pointed Chris out to Jamie saying that she \u201cwill be okay because she\u2019ll marry a guy just like that,\u201d in his torn-up jeans carrying a guitar case.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not sing together. We both performed and struck up a conversation because of that,\u201d Chris said. \u201cShe sang a Jewel song and I always had a crush on Jewel.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Jamie](\"http:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/files\/2015\/08\/suttles-band-15948_031-508x343.jpg\")
<\/a>Jamie and Chris Suttle, Wright State staff members who are also married, lead a successful country-rock group, the Jamie Suttle Band. (Photos by Erin Pence)<\/p><\/div>\n
When Jamie performs, Chris said he notices \u201cthe way she instantly draws the attention of other people. A loud room will instantly shut up when she starts singing. She has some sort of it factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Suttles are a perfect match: a vocalist for a wife and a producer for a husband. Chris is like a teenager who tells funny jokes, is often sarcastic and has a cool concert energy while Jamie is confident, collected and ready to let her hair loose.<\/p>\n
\u201cChris is very comfortable on stage. … Whatever it is, he has that,\u201d Jamie said.<\/p>\n
Originally from Kentucky, Jamie is a singer and songwriter and has been writing songs since she was 4. She sang in her church and in school talent shows, performing a Christina Aguilera song. She continued writing lyrics in the margins of her high school notebooks and now in her journals.<\/p>\n
Chris grew up in Ohio and has been part of more than half a dozen bands.<\/p>\n
Both Jamie and Chris attended Wright State; Jamie studied organizational communication, while Chris majored in mass communication<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Jamie Suttle Band also includes drummer Aaron Farrier, bass player Nathan Warden and guitar player Tim Yanney.<\/p>\n Many Wright State staff, faculty and students have helped the band \u2014 from guest performing to assisting with video production. Students Alan Lewin, Joe Cook and Ryan McCoy contributed to the production of the band\u2019s music videos, and Heather Barnhart, a mass communication major, runs the group\u2019s social media accounts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have so many incredibly talented kids. I was very happy and honored to be able to give them a space on the record,\u201d Jamie said in an article in Wright State\u2019s Guardian newspaper. \u201cThey were very excited and they\u2019re very professional to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n Jason Kaufman, assistant professor of theatre arts at Wright State, directed the Suttles\u2019 music video for their latest single \u201cFlame<\/a>,\u201d which was shot at the Wright Company airplane factory in Dayton.<\/p>\n Flame is about addiction, Jamie said. \u201cIt\u2019s about that weakness that we have. Not everyone has a weakness that is visible … that place can be a dark place that no one wants light shed upon. It\u2019s about facing that demon, and part of acknowledging those demons is facing them and acknowledging they\u2019re there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n When they’re not performing Jamie Suttle works in the Creative Arts Center Box Office, and Chris Suttle is the technology and communication coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts.<\/p><\/div>\n Jamie likes to tell stories that encourage others in her songs. One of her favorite quotes is \u201cI sing the words I don\u2019t have the strength to say.\u201d Her songs are inspired from life situations and people, including her husband.<\/p>\n The band\u2019s songs come together by matching a sound to the feel of Jamie\u2019s lyrics.<\/p>\n \u201cI try to paint a picture of what each character in the story might be thinking or feeling or what the listener might be doing while hearing the song. I feel like this gives the other guys insight to the feel or mood of the song,\u201d Jamie said. \u201cI want my music to be something that can be felt from all angles and types of people.\u201d<\/p>\n On the bands\u2019 first song, \u201cBurn Like Whiskey,\u201d Jamie sang her lyrics and the band members came up with the musical pieces that night. \u201cIt was a magical moment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Playing a mix of country and rock ‘n’ roll, the band formed in 2012 but has progressed slowly since the birth of the Suttles\u2019 now 2-year-old daughter. They sometimes hold her during recording sessions when they cannot find a babysitter. Their other two children are big fans of their music.<\/p>\n Their song \u201cMiss Adeline\u201d incorporates a lot of raw and organic sounds like clapping and stomping from the band members.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to bring the human aspect (into their songs), not just a bunch of computer-generated sounds,\u201d Chris said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to mold ourselves to a specific genre of music. Ain\u2019t nobody got time for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Jamie encourages band members to incorporate their own musical styles into the band’s songs. \u201cI want the guys to be themselves and use the different genres that they bring,\u201d Jamie said.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, country music is who I am and who I will be,\u201d Jamie said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t living in eastern Kentucky, but I couldn\u2019t take it out of my voice, not that I wanted to, it was a part of me.\u201d<\/p>\n She is inspired by Loretta Lynn and Etta Jones. \u201cThey wrote things that weren\u2019t pretty. They were pioneers of writing about what people didn\u2019t want to talk about but something that everyone feels,\u201d said Jamie.<\/p>\n Jamie intentionally doesn\u2019t swear in her lyrics because she\u2019s aware of who is listening and singing along. Her children and young niece and nephew sing her songs word for word.<\/p>\n Jamie incorporated references to Johnny Cash, Jack Daniels and Jesus into her song \u201cCash, Jack and Jesus.\u201d The song \u201cencompasses being a real person who is a Christian and has flaws,\u201d Jamie said. The song includes a variety of genres, music influences and beliefs.<\/p>\n The band performs once or twice a month in local venues. Band members often feel excited and inspired when on the stage.<\/p>\n \u201cMore than anything I feel lucky and privileged to be a part of Jamie\u2019s life,\u201d Chris said. \u201cIt\u2019s so much fun to be able to make and perform music with your best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Jamie occasionally travels to Nashville to perform and send out media kits promoting the band. Chris plans to spend less time in his recording studio and traveling independently to meet with other musicians.<\/p>\n Future plans include a music video recording in December, continuing to release singles and performing live shows.<\/p>\n For more information, visit The Jamie Suttle Band page at jamiesuttle.com<\/a> or follow them on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jamie and Chris Suttle, Wright State staff members who are also married, lead a successful country-rock band. Continue reading ![\"Jamie](\"http:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/files\/2015\/08\/suttles-band-15948_011-508x426.jpg\")
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