'Grass Clippings February, 2012 Page 1 The Tuttles with A.J. Lee - Rising Stars Dave Porter Condensed and updated from an arti- Membership Award. that I convinced cle in ’Grass Clippings (Feb/12), the O t t a w a ’ s R o n His talented kids first achieved notice in newsletter of the Ottawa Valley Blue- Moores of CKCU- 2006 when Jack posted the YouTube of grass Music Association FM (93.1) and 2 Michael (8) and Sullivan (10) playing El other radio people Cumbanchero a la Jesse McReynolds. If you attended the guitar workshop at the to give them a lis- The video promptly went viral and has Deerhurst BMAC Awards weekend in ten. Ron featured now surpassed 1.6 million views. Little November, 2011 you saw Jason Jones their music and did viewers realize, however, that it was demonstrating his incredible bluegrass commentary on his sister, Molly (13), on rhythm guitar, who show, ‘The Back was the most advanced 40’, for a full hour picker of the three. in early 2011. Soon Molly’s musical abilities after, Barb Heller of came to light as more You- NCPR, Canton, NY, and Bill Knowlton Tube videos were posted and of WCNY (91.3) - Syracuse NY, gave especially when Jack and them shorter segments. Molly released their duet Their amazing progress as individual mu- CD, “The Old Apple Tree”, sicians and as a band has been recognized in 2007. Recorded in multi- in spades by their home state Bluegrass ple tracks so that the versatile Society at Awards Weekends in both Jack could play other instru- 2011 and 2012 In a process that requires ments, the highly acclaimed 2 ballots to narrow the long lists of nomi- first CD sounds like a full nees to 5 finalists and a 3rd ballot to de- bluegrass band. Produced termine a winner, all 5 band members when Molly was 13, it fea- were finalists in their individual catego- tures her singing lead on 11 ries in both years. In the final ballot in songs, and playing impres- 2011, members of the NCBS voted Molly Left to Right: Sullivan Tuttle (16); A.J. Lee (13); Jack Tuttle; Molly sive lead banjo or guitar Tuttle (18); Michael Tuttle (14) Tuttle Best Guitarist, and A.J. Lee Best breaks almost every cut. Female Vocalist. In 2012, voters se- guitar skills which are all the more amaz- Meantime, an hour northeast of the Tut- lected Molly Tuttle Best Female Vocal- ing because he is only 16 years old. tles Palo Alto home, in Tracy, CA, A.J. ist, Michael Tuttle Best Mandolin Now imagine 4 of Jason Jones, plus a bit, Lee had begun singing at age 2 and per- Player, and Jack Tuttle, Best Fiddler. It all playing or singing in the same band, forming by age 4. By age 8 she she had is also likely that either Molly or Sullivan average age, 15 years old, and you’ve got been invited to major bluegrass events would have won the Best Guitar Player “The Tuttles with A.J. Lee” as they were including the IBMA FanFest in Nash- award in 2012 had there been only one in their showcasing suite in September, ville. In 2008 she performed for 40,000 Tuttle name on the final ballot. But the 2011 at IBMA. people at a NASCAR event in Indianapo- best prize was having their band beat out lis and on National TV and in 2009 she close to 300 adult bands to be chosen While still relatively unknown in Canada joined the IBMA’s instructional video Best Bluegrass Band in both years. and even in the eastern states , The Tut- series called “Discover Bluegrass” that tles with A.J. Lee have been piling up Their talent has not gone unnoticed by had featured Sierra Hull in 2005. accolades as headliners in their home some key figures in bluegrass circles. In state of California for some time. A.J. met the Tuttles in 2004 at the age of 2007, Dennis Brunnenmeyer (KVMR 6 while jamming at a CBA festival. She radio) said: “Molly sings (like) she grew Jack Tuttle, dad to three of them and bass and Molly’s 2 brothers began performing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains 150 player in the band, has performed in sev- regularly with Jack & Molly sometime years ago.” Legendary banjo man, Pete eral bands and has been a highly re- after the release of ‘The Old Apple Tree’ Wernick, commented: “A.J. Lee and spected music teacher in California for and in August, 2010, the band released, Molly Tuttle … can bring you into a song many years. In 2007 the California Blue- ‘Introducing the Tuttles with A.J. Lee ‘. and create a duet blend that makes the grass Association (CBA) honoured him senses stand at attention. It’s remarkable with the Distinguished Honorary Lifetime It was after the release of this second CD that they are both teenagers ... Sullivan The Ottawa Valley Bluegrass Association: Box 4093, Postal Station E, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B1 www.valleygrass.ca 'Grass Clippings February, 2012 Page 2 and Michael play strong and agile leads lead news item, the Tuttles signing with tened to their 2 CD’s many times over. on guitar and mandolin…” And, Cali- Roe Entertainment (the same agent that Despite that preparation, two things im- fornia band leader, Kathy Kallick, with handles Michael Cleveland & Flame- mediately surprised me that night. 15 CD’s to her credit, wrote on their keeper, and Dale Ann Bradley.) latest CD jacket, “The picking is HOT! The Music And Molly has been making noise since The singing is complex and gorgeous! First, neither YouTube nor their well- she started at Berklee College of Music. Molly has a voice that is unique and produced CD’s do them justice. very traditional at the same time ... And In April, she took first place in the Mer- Whether they were playing their signa- when she blends that voice with A.J.’s lefest songwriters contest. In May, she ture instrumental, El Cumbanchero or … chills went up and down my spine… was one of two singers chosen to sing in the old bluegrass standard, Beaumont Michael and Sullivan played virtuoso honour of Alyson Krauss who was Rag; or the jazzy Gypsy Palo Alto, com- solos that had the audience on their feet awarded an honorary Doctorate of Mu- posed by Jack, their instrumental wiz- and I, myself, burst into laughter, as I do sic by Berklee. The other singer was ardry almost made me laugh out loud in when music delights and amazes me.” Alyson Krauss’ protégé, Sierra Hull. Also in May, a group of six More recently, as I learned at IBMA, bluegrass veterans led by Bruce their showcasing events there earned Compton chose 1st semester stu- them a private audition with Rounder dent, Molly Tuttle, to sing and Records and Molly was presented with play guitar as they played a tribute the first Scholarship awarded by the to John McGann, a highly re- Foundation for Bluegrass Music in spected Berklee professor of mu- memory of Hazel Dickens. She com- sic and mandolin/guitar teacher, menced studies at the Berklee College who died suddenly. of Music in Boston in January, 2012. This scholarship was especially mean- And On July 20/21, despite being ingful for Molly. She says: “I have been a freshman Molly will co-lead the singing Hazel Dickens songs since I was Berklee bluegrass band in a Satur- 8 years old ... (see 1st CD) … and I was day Night(!) performance at the A.J. Lee, Molly Tuttle, Dave Porter, Michael lucky enough to get to meet her several Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, one Tuttle, & Sullivan Tuttle at IBMA of the largest in the country. sheer amazement. I thought of Kathy Meanwhile, her band is having a Kallick as I sat there. break-through year having landed main-stage performance spots at The transitions from instrument to in- two high profile festivals — Get- strument are impeccably timed and the tysburg and Windgap. At Gettys- breaks are not only fast and intricate, but burg they received 3 standing O’s full of the unexpected twists and turns and were introduced for their sec- that define creative bluegrass picking. ond set as the surprise and the dis- The vocals are equally impressive. covery of the Festival. The recep- Whether it was Molly’s lonesome tion was the same at Windgap. mountain sound in her own haunting And finally, on-line news service composition, ‘It’s Long Road,’ or 13- Bluegrass Today, gave the Tuttles year old A.J. Lee absolutely nailing 25% of the photo coverage for Gram Parson’s ‘Hickory Wind’, the Molly meets Hazel Dickens at IBMA Saturday at Gettysburg even voices were crisp, mature way beyond though they were only one of 7 bands. their years, and the harmonies perfect. years ago at IBMA. Hazel Dickens has The second surprise is related. After been one of my biggest influences…” Tuesday Night at IBMA, 2011 listening to their great music on-line or But What Have You Done for Me I had a good idea of what to expect mu- in my car so many times, I had stopped Lately? sically when I walked into room 102 at thinking about their ages. But when I That’s where the accolades ended when IBMA because I’ve been a Tuttles fan finally saw them live, I was once again I first wrote this article in late January, since October 11, 2008. That was the aware that these guys are kids, incredi- 2012.