All Of It – Molly Tuttle: City of Gold (Grammy Listening Party)

WNYC | Host: Alison Stewart | February 1, 2024

Episode Overview

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart dives deep with Grammy-nominated bluegrass musician Molly Tuttle, focusing on her fourth studio album, City of Gold, which is up for Best Bluegrass Album. The discussion explores Tuttle’s creative evolution, rooted family history in bluegrass, the Californian take on a traditionally Southern genre, and the album’s stories and sounds. The conversation is peppered with full-song listens, personal anecdotes, and reflective moments, offering new and longtime fans insight into Tuttle's artistry ahead of the Grammy Awards.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Singer-Songwriter to Bluegrass Band Leader

• Stewart notes Tuttle's earlier albums were more "singer-songwriter-esque," and asks about the shift to bluegrass with a full band:
  • Tuttle describes how, after touring with her band Golden Highway for over 100 shows in a year, the group developed a unique, cohesive sound (02:29).
  • "This genre is part of who I am and my upbringing," Tuttle says, recounting her grandfather and father's bluegrass roots (02:56).
  • The new album was largely inspired by life on the road with the band and the community that formed around them.

2. California's Influence & The Gold Rush Narrative

• Stewart and Tuttle explore how California's history shaped City of Gold:
  • The album’s title references the Gold Rush and the allure of "striking it rich," paralleled by Tuttle’s personal drive to pursue music (06:15).
  • Tuttle: "For me, music has always been my city of gold—something that I've chased after and dreamed about." (06:29)
  • Songs like “El Dorado”, “San Joaquin”, and “Yosemite” tie this historical and geographic context into the music.

3. Family History in Bluegrass Music

• Tuttle outlines her bluegrass lineage:
  • Grandfather: Illinois farmer, exposed to southern music while in the Air Force, started a family band (07:02).
  • Father: Moved from Illinois to California, became a full-time bluegrass teacher in Palo Alto and raised his children in the genre (07:52).
  • She notes, "People don't really think of Silicon Valley as a hub for bluegrass, but there is some great bluegrass that’s come out of California." (08:34)

4. Behind the Songs—Stories & Sound

• “San Joaquin”: Inspired by the train line running through California, Tuttle reveals it’s a tale involving smuggling once-illicit goods—a playful nod to the region's agricultural and countercultural legacy (08:53).
  • "We just want to show what we've got, play it as fast as humanly possible," Tuttle says of the song’s tempo (10:32).
  • She candidly likens performing it live to riding a runaway train: "Once you get on it, it's hard to get off." (10:55)
• “Alice in the Bluegrass”: A whimsical reimagining of Alice in Wonderland set in Kentucky, merging childhood literary influence with bluegrass tradition (13:15).
  • Stewart draws a line to Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”; Tuttle notes they pair the two songs in concert as a medley (15:00).
• Personal Storytelling: On her previous album, Tuttle delved into living with alopecia. She describes how opening up about her experience—removing her wig onstage while singing “Crooked Tree”—became cathartic and communal (15:41).
  • "I just wanted to help other people feel more comfortable in their skin... But then I quickly realized that it was also really helping me." (16:09)

5. Musical Growth – Lessons from Berklee

• Stewart asks for memorable college assignments; Tuttle recounts a lesson from her teacher, Dave Tronzo, asking her to embrace musical discomfort:
  • "That feeling of discomfort is the root of all, you know, prejudice in the world... You need to really work on getting rid of that feeling and embracing all types of music." (11:42)
  • This lesson encouraged Tuttle to remain open, adventurous, and receptive in her musical career.

6. Reflection on Life and Change – “Where Did All the Wild Things Go?”

• Tuttle discusses how the song was inspired by seeing shifts in her social world—friends settling down and wild festival days becoming less frequent as she enters her 30s (16:51).
  • "This is one that I wrote to try to rile up the audiences at our shows, basically." (17:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On forming the band’s identity:
  • “We really developed this unique sound as a band that we didn’t have before... we had cultivated this community around us, and I knew I wanted to go back in the studio and record songs inspired by our year out on the road.” — Molly Tuttle (02:29)
• On California as muse:
  • “City of gold to me is like... this dream that you have, and you’re trying to strike it rich in one way or another. For me, music has always been my city of gold.” — Molly Tuttle (06:15)
• On bluegrass in Silicon Valley:
  • “People don’t really think of Silicon Valley as a hub for bluegrass... but there is some great bluegrass that’s come out of California.” — Molly Tuttle (08:34)
• On musical growth:
  • “That feeling of discomfort is the root of all, you know, prejudice in the world... You need to really work on kind of getting rid of that feeling and embracing all types of music.” — Molly Tuttle quoting Dave Tronzo (11:42)
• On sharing her alopecia journey:
  • “It was something that... I just felt like I had this block... It was really healing for me. And I think ultimately, I just wanted to help other people feel more comfortable in their skin.” — Molly Tuttle (15:41)
• On “San Joaquin” live performances:
  • “It's like a train, once you get on it, it's hard to get off. That's just part of this music—you're kind of just showing what you got.” — Molly Tuttle (10:55)
• On growing up:
  • “Everyone's kind of giving up the wild ways we had in our early 20s.” — Molly Tuttle (16:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:09–01:53 – [Music] “Next Rodeo”
• 02:08–02:56 – Tuttle on new band energy and bluegrass roots
• 04:37–05:55 – [Music] “El Dorado”
• 06:15–06:49 – Tuttle on California identity and album title
• 08:53–09:23 – Tuttle introduces “San Joaquin”
• 09:28–10:24 – [Music] “San Joaquin”
• 10:32–11:21 – Tuttle on performing fast tempos live
• 11:42–13:05 – Berklee College story: musical discomfort and growth
• 13:15–14:53 – [Music] “Alice in the Bluegrass”
• 15:00–15:18 – Medley with “White Rabbit”
• 15:30–16:31 – Sharing about alopecia and the impact
• 16:51–17:29 – On “Where Did All the Wild Things Go?”
• 17:52–18:26 – [Music] “Where Did All the Wild Things Go?”

Episode Tone

The conversation is warm, enthusiastic, and gently probing, with Stewart offering space for reflection and laughter. Tuttle is candid and open, balancing stories of personal vulnerability with the exuberance and wit that infuse her music.

By the end of this episode, listeners have a vibrant portrait of Molly Tuttle: a bluegrass innovator with deep roots, a playful approach to tradition, and a willingness to blend autobiography, history, and imagination. Her love for California and its metaphorical “city of gold” shines as the golden thread throughout.