The quest for truth has been the underlying foundation of the work of Tim Dillinger, a multi-faceted artist: singer, songwriter, poet, activist and speaker. Growing up as a “preacher’s kid” in St. Petersburg, Florida, he was reared on the sounds of black gospel music. Andraé Crouch, The Hawkins Family and Reba Rambo were the earliest influences, while contemporary Christian artists such as Amy Grant, Randy Stonehill and Leslie Phillips would become equally influential. The blend of these two very different forms of Christian music would take Tim on his own spiritual journey. At the age of thirteen, Tim began singing in churches in the Tampa Bay area and was introduced to New Covenant Holiness Church, a congregation firmly rooted in the tradition of the black church. By the age of fifteen, Tim was immersed in the culture not only of the church, but also of the community. This transition brought Tim to a distinct awareness of race, culture, spirituality and sexuality. Under the tutelage of his singing godmother, Tim sang in countless churches in the area, honing his craft as a vocalist, developing a reputation as a “church wrecker”. He was a rarity in the community: a white vocalist who could deliver traditional black gospel with an astounding conviction and authenticity. Behind closed doors, he was also absorbing the R&B sounds of Teena Marie, Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, studying the literature of Ntozake Shange, James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni and secretly writing songs and poems exploring his thoughts and questions. From the age of 18 to 22, Tim traveled the state of Florida singing at revivals with Grammy Award nominated gospel artist Beverly Crawford, in addition to continuing to work in local churches as a worship leader in his Tampa Bay base. Tim relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in 2001 and shortly thereafter re-evaluated his artistic path, making the decision to transition from gospel music to mainstream R&B/soul. Tim became a part of the independent soul scene, releasing two critically acclaimed albums, Love Is On My Mind (2004) and The Muse (2006). Through these albums, he earned a #1 single on London’s Jazz FM, nominations from the Southern Entertainment Awards, SoulTracks.com’s Annual Readers Choice Awards, Nashville’s All The Rage Annual Music Awards and was the recipient of the 2007 SOBO Magazine Music Award. His music has also been lauded nationally and internationally by Urban Network Magazine, Blues & Soul Magazine and Colorlines Magazine in addition to every press outlet in Nashville. Tim has had the opportunity to record and/or perform with legendary artists including Grammy and Dove Award winning gospel legend, Daryl Coley, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Reba Rambo-McGuire and soul scene notables including Frank McComb and Kloud 9. Dillinger credits the writing of his last album, The Muse, with triggering a time of significant personal growth. Shortly after it’s release, he found himself challenged by his own lyrics, specifically related to matters of authenticity and affirmation. 2007 marked the year that Tim made the decision to ‘come out’ in a public sense as a member of the same gender loving community. “Coming out has given everything I do a whole new meaning. The response from the people who have followed my career has been so rewarding…others finding their voice by watching me take ownership of mine. You don’t realize how many people are watching until you do something like this.” Tim hosts a internet radio show on Jazz Syndicate Radio, Out the Box with Tim Dillinger, which has enabled him to blend his love of a diverse range of music with the cultural and social issues that are near and dear to his heart. Guests have included figures in the GLBT community including Bishop Yvette Flunder, Rev. Kevin E. Taylor, Billy Porter, James Earl Hardy and Darryl Stephens as well as a wide array of other artists, actors and writers including Nikki Giovanni, Tramaine Hawkins, Jimmy Scott and Keith Hamilton Cobb. He also co-hosts “Freestyle with Ron Wynn”, a weekly issues show broadcast from historic Fisk University’s WFSK-FM. 2008 will mark the release of Tim’s gospel album, Dawning of A New Day. He is in the process of completing his first book, a collection of essays and poems, which will release in conjunction with Dawning of A New Day. He is also collaborating with Tim’m West on a collaborative concept album. “It’s all about creating art that is multi-purpose. It has to entertain, enlighten, minister and touch people simultaneously for me to feel like I’m really doing something. Whether I’m singing, writing or speaking, I want to provoke thought…encourage people to love and be themselves…and understand our universal connection.” Tim is currently booking dates for concerts, speaking engagements and songwriting seminars in 2008.