Russ Tolman (born August 15, 1956) is a singer-songwriter who came to international attention in the 1980s as guitarist, songwriter, and producer of True West, a band associated with the Paisley Underground.

Answering a classified ad in The California Aggie was drummer Gavin Blair (who would later be lead singer in True West) and bassist Steve Suchil.

From 1979 until 1983, Tolman worked as a disc jockey at progressive country station KYLO in Davis, where he developed a love for classic honky tonk, western swing, and folk under the tutelage of music director Gordy Broshear, formerly of genre pioneers KFAT.

Tolman did his first U.S. tour with a band that featured bassist David Provost (Dream Syndicate, The Droogs, Phil Seymour, Holly and the Italians), former True West drummer Frank French (later of Cake), and San Francisco guitarist Jeff Kane.

Tolman supported this album with a U.S. tour with a band that included keyboardist Robert Lloyd, bassist Brian Mazur, guitarist Jeff Kane, and drummer Dave Drewry.

Once again recorded in Los Angeles at Westbeach Recorders, Sweet Spot featured a band that included guitarist Kirk Swan (Dumptruck), drummer Dave Drewry, bass player Nino Del Pesco, multi-instrumentalist Robert Lloyd (Steve Wynn, John Wesley Harding, Carlene Carter, Amy Rigby), and Canadian vocalist Wendy Bird (Barney Bentall).

Tolman, along with Kirk Swan, Wendy Bird, and bassist Spike Priggen, embarked on an acoustic European tour to support Sweet Spot that included Scandinavia, France, Spain, and Italy.

City Lights was also recorded in San Francisco with engineer Chris Von Sneidern with Steve Wynn co-producing several songs that include Linda Pitmon on drums, pianist Robert Lloyd, and Doug Freeman on bass.

Tolman returned for a Fall 1998 tour with a band that featured guitarist Jeff Kane, drummer Jim Huie, and Portland bass player Roland Couture.

In addition to songwriting and performing, Tolman has a keen interest in music production, having produced records for Barbara Manning's first band 28th Day, The Windbreakers, The Downsiders, The Popealopes, Lost Durangos, and others.

During the early 2000s, Tolman also worked as a reissue producer, overseeing re-releases from Willie Nelson, Bob Marley, Waylon Jennings, Lead Belly, Patsy Cline, and others.

It featured guest appearances by John Wesley Harding, Chuck Prophet, Tom Heyman, and Dale Duncan of Map of Wyoming and Flying Color.

In 2006, Tolman joined Gavin Blair, Richard McGrath, and True West newcomers Jim Huie, and bassist Ian Barrett for a series of True West reunion shows, which included several dates as opening act for old friends Violent Femmes, playing at venues such as San Francisco's legendary Fillmore Ballroom and the House of Blues at Downtown Disney, Anaheim.