Sierra Hull and Molly Tuttle grace the cover of the Fall 2018 edition of Berklee Today, the alumni magazine of the Berklee College of Music. Both of these bluegrass whiz kids studied at Berklee up in Boston, though they graduated three years apart.
They are also highlighted in a feature article within the magazine, which is available online. Titled Young Bluegrass Virtuosos, the piece by Berklee Today Editor, Mark Small, starts with brief introductions of the two IBMA instrumental award winners, and the similarities in their backgrounds.
Tuttle and Hull have long been known in bluegrass circles for their awe-inspiring virtuosity. Each was a child prodigy playing at festivals since grade school. Both received support from their families. Molly’s father Jack Tuttle, a teacher at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in their hometown of Palo Alto, CA, schooled Molly and her brothers Sullivan and Michael in bluegrass repertoire and technique. All three became virtuosos. For years Jack, a multi-instrumentalist, led the family band (The Tuttles) at festivals and on the NPR radio show A Prairie Home Companion among other appearances.
Hull grew up in tiny Byrdstown, TN, 120 miles northeast of Nashville. Her father, Stacy Hull, became interested in playing the mandolin as an adult, and shared what he learned with young Sierra and took her with him to picking parties and jam sessions. He later drove her to weekly lessons with a mandolinist who had played with bluegrass artist Larry Sparks. Sierra’s prodigious talent was immediately apparent. Alison Krauss invited Hull to sit in with her band at the Grand Ole Opry when she was only 11. Krauss remains a mentor and friend and sang at Hull’s 2017 wedding.
Small then asked the two how they managed to learn so much as young musicians…
What approach did you take to learning your instruments that enabled you to advance so quickly when you were so young?
Molly Tuttle: I just started by learning songs, licks, and jamming. I went to a lot of jams with my dad and to festivals like the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival put on by the California Bluegrass Association. I learned a lot of repertoire that way. I worked hard on my cross-picking as a teenager. By playing the same tunes over and over and coming up with little variations I learned to improvise. Sometimes I would work out solos and that would help me build up ideas.
Sierra Hull: I started by learning fiddle tunes. Bluegrass is a wonderful music for building a foundation on your instrument through the traditional music that everybody knows, like Red Haired Boy, Salt Creek, or Old Joe Clark. There are hundreds of tunes that bluegrass musicians know no matter where they grew up. Learning to play this way is a very organic process. You end up playing the songs over and over and go to festivals and jam with people who may show you a tune you didn’t know. I also learned a lot by sitting down with CDs by mandolin players and learning their original songs and the others they played.
The article then discusses the Berklee experience with the two prodigies, along with their current musical approaches, and the growing number of young women coming into our music. You can read the whole thing on the Berklee web site.
Congratulations to Molly and Sierra for the recognition!
Molly Tuttle is the latest bluegrass artist to tie her horse to the Preston Thompson wagon, taking delivery recently of a new Thompson D-BA custom sunburst guitar at her home in Nashville.
She posted a video sharing her excitement when it first arrived, plus this more formal video shot at Carter’s Vintage Guitar there in Music City. Molly picks one while Preston shows off and describes the guitar he built for her.
Here’s the one she made at home, displaying both the new axe, and the sparkling personality that has made her so many new fans everywhere she plays.
You can learn more about the Thompson Guitars online.
Tuttle is touring now in support of her debut Rise EP.
Given her recent kudos by the IBMA as the first woman to win their award for Guitar Player of the Year, and kudos for Song of the Year at the recent Folk Alliance International confab in Kansas City, Molly Tuttle seems easily on track to also become the breakout artist of 2018. There’s already an enormous buzz surrounding her, and prospects are good that she’s going to attract continued notice in the months ahead. Indeed, Rise, her first solo effort, garnered a release on Compass Records, no slouch when it comes to procuring the best bluegrass artists currently ascending on today’s scene.
Of course, Tuttle’s not exactly a newcomer, although her recent recognition belies that fact considerably. Adept on banjo as well as guitar, and a superb singer, songwriter and instructor to boot, she began playing at the tender age of eight, and by the time she turned 15, she was performing with her family band, the aptly-named Tuttles. They have two albums to their credit (2011’s Introducing the Tuttles and Endless Ocean, released two years later, as well as The Old Apple Tree, which Molly recorded with her dad Jack when she was only 13), but Molly can also claim her share of the kudos, courtesy of scholarships at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and various other honors that include wins at Merlefest and an earlier acknowledgement from IBMA.
Likewise, she’s already chalked up an impressive catalogue courtesy of her all-girl band the Goodbye Girls and a duo album she recorded with fiddler John Mailander.
Mailander also appears on Rise, her first true solo outing, along with several other notable names, including Darrell Scott, bassist Todd Phillips, banjo player Wesley Corbett, and backing vocalists Kai Welch and Kathy Kallick. However, make no doubt — Rise is clearly Tuttle’s triumph. She not only wrote all the songs — including You Didn’t Call My Name, the one that reaped recognition from Folk Alliance, as well as Friend and a Friend, a stunning co-write with Korby Lenker — but her masterful musicianship and supple vocals bring each of the seven songs to the fore. Indeed, the propulsive Friend and a Friend already sounds like a standard, making one swear they’ve heard it before the groove run out.
Still, it’s not the only standout — not by a long shot. Opening track Good Enough invites attention at the outset, courtesy of its frenzied fiddle work, Tuttle’s sublime singing and ernest intent. The mellow caress of the aforementioned You Didn’t Call My Name more than justifies ample attention, while the folkish Lightening in a Jar and Walden, the album’s sweet send-off, reinforce the tender tones. Subtlety is Tuttle’s clear reserve; the quietly intent Save This Heart is incisive yet supple in its delivery, while the all-instrumental Super Moon gives Tuttle ample opportunity to show off her peerless flat picking while allowing others in her ensemble opportunity to underscore her efforts.
Ultimately, despite its abbreviated seven song setlist, Rise accomplishes all its title suggests — that is, to provide a platform for an artist who has already ascended to certain prominence, her relative youth notwithstanding. It not only elevates her stature, but affirms her artistic inclinations as well.
Molly Tuttle has been turning heads in the bluegrass and acoustic music world for quite some time, since she was a teen banjo picker with her family band in California. Now a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and still quite a young lady, Molly has a new album, Rise, that focuses on her singing, songwriting, and considerable guitar skills.
She created something of a sensation at last year’s World of Bluegrass convention where she was an invited showcase artist, and her just-released project is already making critical waves in the industry.
A video for one of the tracks, Good Enough, is now available as well, directed by Bill Filipiak. It’s one of Molly’s songs, and it demonstrates why so many have such high hopes for this extra-talented new artist.
Rise is offered for sale wherever acoustic music is sold, including directly from Molly’s web site.
Sometimes when two songwriters get together to collaborate, the result is more than anyone expected. That was the case recently when Melody Walker and Molly Tuttle, both recent Nashville transplants from California and both award-winning writers and artists, sat down together.
The result is Bigger Than This, an elegant but powerful anthem about setting aside political differences and finding common ground.
“It was our very first co-write,” Walker said,” and we were both surprised by the outcome—an earnest harmony duet about political fence-mending.”
The video, recorded at Carter’s Vintage Guitars in Nashville, features just two voices and two guitars, all blending seamlessly. To my ear, it’s how this song should always be performed. There’s something vulnerable and hopeful and achingly beautiful about the performance, especially when Melody and Molly harmonize:
I’m bigger than you think I am
I bet you’re bigger too
Together we can take a stand
And show them that it’s true
I know our minds are both made up
But enough is enough
Our hearts aren’t made of stone
No one should ever have to suffer alone
‘Cause it’s a small world
And we’re bigger than this
According to Tuttle, “Melody and I wrote this song about coming together and finding a common cause with others. We both cross paths with people of all different backgrounds and points of view and hope that through music we can heal some divides even when it seems hard.”
Added Walker, “There is a lot of anger and resentment going around, and I think we all know that can’t be the answer. When it comes to the American people, we actually agree on so much more than we disagree on. When we decide to empathize with one another and both be the bigger person and see the bigger person in front of us, we can begin moving forward.”
With America closer to untied than united, and the political chasm seemingly unbridgeable, maybe this joint effort by two burgeoning talents – they’ve both won IBMA Momentum Awards and the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest – can help bring people together under the large and magnificent umbrella of music.
The song can be a reminder that politics aside, we’re all in this together. The country has worked through bitter divisions before. And we will work through this one, too. We just have to remember one thing: We’re bigger than this.
The 44th annual RockyGrass festival was held last weekend in Lyons, CO. Surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains, fans enjoyed the best in bluegrass for three straight days. These are my reflections and opinions as a first time RockyGrass attendee.
RockyGrass!! One of the items on my “Bluegrass Bucket List” was finally able to be scratched off, as soon as I stepped onto the hallowed grounds of Planet Bluegrass just outside of Lyons, CO. I had heard that the town and the campground had been devastated just a few years ago by a raging flood, but it ws nothing but all smiles this weekend! Kudos to Craig Ferguson and the rest of the Planet Bluegrass team, for had I not known previously that a massive rebuilding effort had taken place over the past few years, there was nothing to indicate that a natural disaster had left the majority of the concert area and campground in disarray. Amid the most diverse and eclectic audience I have ever seen at a bluegrass festival, I took my seat and prepared myself for some great bluegrass music!
The Rapidgrass Quintet kicked off the festival. As is customary for the event, The Rapidgrass Quintet had won the 2015 Rockygrass Band Contest, with first place being the opening slot on the main stage for the following festival. It was easy to see how this young band won last year’s contest, with their smooth picking and original songs, mixed with influences from bluegrass, newgrass, and gypsy swing music. The newcomers even brought out David Grier and Alex Hargreaves as special guests for a kicking version of Steel Guitar Rag.
I had heard rave reviews regarding the talent of acoustic guitar phenom, Molly Tuttle, and I was thrilled to get to see The Molly Tuttle Band for myself at Rockygrass. The band’s soothing sounds are anchored by Molly’s incredible guitar work. She incorporates many styles into her guitar playing, including flatpicking and even clawhammer guitar, (the latter of which absolutely blew me away). Alongside original compositions like Walden, Molly also included her rendition of such classics as Let The Whole World Talk and Gentle On My Mind. She also performed a tribute song for one of her heroes, Hazel Dickens. The Molly Tuttle Band is a showcase act at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass this fall, and I can definitely see why.
Shortly into Bryan Sutton’s performance, a gentle rain began to cool off the audience (ironically during his take on Uncle Dave Macon’s Backwater Blues). The precipitation didn’t discourage one of the most awarded guitar players in bluegrass history, as he was eager to showcase his new band and many of the songs from his latest album, The More I Learn. Bryan’s singing as only improved over the past few years, and matches perfectly with his signature style of guitar. Even God must love the rousing Swannanoa Tunnel which appeared on Bryan’s Grammy-nominated album from a few years ago, as the sun began shining bright as soon as Bryan and the boys kicked off this old tune, with the rain subsiding by the song’s conclusion. Bryan’s new song, Hills For My Head, was partly inspired by the Rocky Mountains surrounding RockyGrass and its sister festival in Telluride. Bryan’s solo rendition of this new song was particularly poignant as one listened to him and looked up at the majestic mountains all around. Even as a veteran of the industry, Bryan still sounds as fresh as ever with his new music and new band.
The Good Ol’ Persons were a popular California bluegrass band in the 1970s, and were one of the first bands in the business to place women as leading contributors. Decades later, the Good Ol’ Persons reunion concert at RockyGrass was one of the surprises of the festival, and had everyone talking, whether you were aware of their history or not. Kathy Kallick is still a joy to watch whether she is singing or lighting up the stage with her heartfelt smile and fun emcee work. The mandolin work of John Reischman was a highlight as well, particularly on his original, It’s Been Real. The Good Ol’ Persons had the crowd in the palm of their hand with such songs as Kissing Comes Easy, My, My, My, and Broken Tie. They were joined by special guest, Annie Stanninec (a recipient of one of last year’s IBMA Instrumentalist Momentum Awards). Her fun style of fiddle playing is a joy, and was great way to showcase the Good Ol’ Persons lasting impact in the west coast bluegrass scene.
Walking around the festival grounds, I was blown away by the amount of kids running around. Rockygrass is an extremely family friendly event, which even included a Family Tent, featuring nature lessons, crafts, and face-painting for kids. Children could even build toy boats at the craft tent, and then test them out in the creek which winds by the stage and festival grounds. A small beach area was even cleared off for the little ones to safely play in the sand and the water. It was so encouraging seeing an abundance of young folks having such a fun time and enjoying a bunch of great bluegrass music in the process.
This was the second weekend in a row that I had had the pleasure of enjoying Tim O’Brien and his talented friends, Noam Pikelny, David Grier, Shad Cobb, and Mike Bub. Some of the greatest pickers on the planet, their set was marked by warm tones and precision in their execution. Tim’s original songs like Workin’, I’ve Gotta Move, and Pompadour (the latter are from his last album, Pompadour) had the crowd patting their feet. The set even included some Bob Dylan (Señor and Tombstone Blues), much to the audience’s delight.
Three of acoustic music’s most prolific instrumentalists, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, and Sam Bush teamed up for an awe-inspiring instrumental set on Friday night. The music created by these masters was powerful. Few musicians could captivate an audience’s attention for an hour and a half by only playing instrumental compositions, but these three musicians are among the exceptions. Virtuosic performances of such fun songs as Duke and Cookie, Green Slime, and the ironically titled, Death By Triple Fiddle, made for a spell-binding set of acoustic music. It was a thrill to watch these masters at work. Their encore performance even featured surprise appearances by Béla Fleck and Mike Marshall.
The Grammy award-winning, Steep Canyon Rangers closed out Day 1 of the 2016 RockyGrass. Every time they step onto the stage, the Steeps bring an undeniable cool factor that demands your attention. Their inclusion of a full drum set into their bluegrass ensemble may be eyebrow-raising to some, but it fits perfectly into the Americana-infused style of bluegrass the Steep Canyon Rangers have begun playing lately. (Think bluegrass meets The Band.) The Steeps have never sounded better. Their love and respect for bluegrass is still evident by their stellar musicianship and first-class presentation, but their inclusion of new and exciting ideas and original songs have helped them carve out a niche of their own over the past few years. Leaning heavily on the material from their previous two albums, Tell The Ones I Love and Radio, SCR put on a fun show full of energy and a few special guests. Andy Hall, Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas (who produced the band’s latest release, Radio) took turns joining the band on stage for some musical magic, to the surprise and delight of all in attendance.
John Mailander is the latest bright light in the fiddle world to emerge from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he has studied under the tutelage of Darol Anger and developed into an adventurous and extremely capable player. His debut solo album, Walking Distance, finds him firmly in the mainstream of contemporary bluegrass and old time music on a mix of new and familiar material.
Assisting throughout are a string of virtuoso players from the northeast, most prominently Tony Trischka on banjo, with whom John occasionally performs, for half of the record’s 8 tracks. Fellow Berklee grad Lukas Poole contributes clawhammer banjo on a pair of tunes, as does Canadian Berklee student Alison de Groot on another. They are clearly attracting some fine banjo players to Boston.
But as you might expect, Mailander is the star of the show, whether he is tearing up a driving fiddle tune like Big-Eared Chicken, performed as a banjo/fiddle duet and written in the Kenny Baker mode, or an old time romp like Tell Me which closes the album with a flourish. Both are John’s compositions with just the right blend of tradition and originality.
The title track, which starts things off, is an aggressive modern fiddle piece on which everyone gets a chance to shine, including Joe Walsh on mandolin, another Berklee grad who nows teaches at the school. That is followed by Nahatlatch, an old timey mood tune from Mark Simos which features some lovely fiddle/banjo unison playing with Poole.
>Deserving of special mention is Molly Tuttle who provides fiery flatpicking throughout, and her trademark singing style on the record’s lone vocal number, John Hartford’s Gentle On My Mind. It’s a thoroughly modern reading of the song, faster than is common, and given a different feel with her supple, girlish voice. It’s a very strong cut.
As is Hayduke, a modern fiddle tune. Jake Joliff provides some fine mandolin here as well, especially in the spacey middle section filled with free improvisation. Inverness features Mailander on both fiddle and octave mandolin, with de Groot on banjo. It’s a sort of new fashioned old time tune (how’s that for a contradiction in terms?), with a lilting melody.
Song For John was written in memory of John McGann, who died while Mailander was at Berklee and McGann was on the faculty. A waltz, it includes the album’s sole bass solo, beautifully played by Brittany Karlson.
Be on the lookout for John Mailander. He’s a talented musician on the way up, as Walking Distance amply demonstrates.
Meeting as students in the American Roots Music Program at the Berklee College of Music, four young women from the US, Canada, and Sweden have formed a new roots/Americana aggregation which they call The Goodbye Girls.
The Girls are Lena Jonsson on fiddle, Allison de Groot on banjo, Brittany Karlson on bass, and Molly Tuttle on guitar. All four sing and contribute original music to the group, which is spending much of the Summer touring in Sweden, supported by the Cultural Council of Västra Götaland.
As an introduction, here’s a video they put together, using photos and a track they have recently recorded…
…and one they shot live in the Berklee radio studio.
Photos from their time in Sweden are being posted on the Girls’ Facebook page.
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) has announced six finalists for their inaugural $10,000 band contest to be held during the FreshGrass festival September 20-22 in North Adams, MA. The bands fall within the festival’s targeted demographic of bluegrass and roots music, with a number who have been previously profiled at Bluegrass Today.
The Grand Prize winner will leave with a $5000 cash prize, plus a one day recording package at the Compass Records studio in Nashville, complete with artist mentoring from Compass President (and FreshGrass performer) Alison Brown. Second place finishers will be awarded a $2000 prize, with $1000 for third. The other three finalists will get $250 each.
These six were selected from among all applications received by a panel of music industry experts, who will judge the finalists’ live performances at the festival on September 22. Judges include Alison Brown, Chris Wadsworth from FreshGrass, Matt Glaser from Berklee College of Music, and Rachel Chanoff, the museum’s Curator of Performing Arts.
In addition to music from top acoustic, roots and bluegrass artists, attendees will have access to a number of exhibits from the museum.
The band includes Jack Tuttle with his three talented children (Molly, Sullivan, and Michael), and their close friend, A.J. Lee. Molly, the oldest of the brood, has just completed her first year at the Berklee College of Music. The rest are still in high school.
At a recent performance at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA, a number of videos were captured of the band. This first is a new song from Molly, Another Side.
And here is a live version of My Window Faces The South, one which A.J. sings on the new album.
