When we last spoke with Molly Tuttle, she was on a different journey. It was January 2020, and she had just released her first full-length album, When You’re Ready, as a solo artist. A lot has changed since then!
Now, Molly is leading a band—Golden Highway—and creating music in an entirely new collaborative environment. Our latest conversation took place at Camp Shaw Wa Nas See in Manteno, Illinois, a stone’s throw from her grandparents' place, as we eagerly anticipated her headlining set at Shoe Fest. It was Molly’s first Shoe Fest, where, ironically, most attendees abandon their shoes for the weekend.
Grateful Web: How has it been to collaborate with a band? The last time we caught up was a lifetime ago!
Molly Tuttle: It’s been really cool! I love having a real band. I always have fun with my band out on the road, but now we have a real band name, and we made a record together. In the past, producers would bring in different people to record with me in the studio, which is great, but it’s different when you can bring your touring band with you. We’ve really become a unit.
As we chatted, it was clear how much Molly has grown in her artistry. She’s not just the solo “Flatland Girl” anymore—she’s now an integral part of a cohesive musical entity. The new EP, Into the Wild, set to release on September 20th, features both new originals and covers that reflect this evolution.
GW: Are you working on a new album?
MT: We have a new EP coming out soon called Into the Wild. There are two new original songs that I’d been working on for our last record, but they weren’t quite ready in time. So we took some extra time to marinate on them. It also includes some of our favorite covers that we’ve been playing on the road. It’s a six-song EP, and I’m excited for it! As for a full-length album, I’ve been writing a lot, but we haven’t gone into the studio yet for the next one.
During her set at Shoe Fest, Molly gave new life to some beloved songs, like her cover of Juice Newton's "Queen of Hearts," which she playfully referenced during our chat. Where she comes up with her ideas is so intriguing! She announced from the stage, "I was told that we would be performing for fire spinners! We've performed near a rodeo once but I don't think we have ever done this near fire spinners!"
GW: Speaking of writing, I love that you continue to address contemporary issues in your songs. We last talked about "Sleepwalking" and its connection to climate change. Now there’s "Down Home Dispensary" and "Dooley's Farm." I’d love to hear more about "First Time I Fell in Love."
MT: Sure! With both my last albums, I've written a lot of songs that were more like storytelling—drawing from my life or stories I’ve heard growing up. But on each album, I wanted to end with a song that's more autobiographical. "First Time I Fell in Love," the last track on our latest record, City of Gold, is very much about my own journey. It reflects on my memories of growing up in California and coming to terms with who I was. It’s about learning to love myself and following my dreams.
Reflecting on her City of Gold album, Molly also spoke about the surprising coincidence of album titles in her bluegrass circle.
GW: Am I missing some sort of bluegrass reference? Your brother’s band, AJ Lee & Blue Summit has City of Glass. Your fiddle player, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, has City on a Hill. And you have City of Gold. Is there some sort of bluegrass reference here that I am missing?
MT: It’s totally coincidental! I was talking to my brother a few weeks ago, and he said, "Oh yeah, we didn’t realize your album was called City of Gold when we named ours City of Glass." We had a good laugh about it!
GW: So, is City of Gold a reference to LA?
MT: Not really. It’s actually a reference to El Dorado County in Northern California, where some of the first Gold Rush towns were established. For me, City of Gold represents something we’re all chasing after—a dream or a passion. In my case, that’s music.
GW: City of Gold also has amazing bonus tracks like “Castelleja” live at Station Inn
MT: Station Inn is so iconic! Thanks for checking it out.
Molly continued to share stories behind her songs, like "Castilleja," which draws inspiration from California’s natural landscape and her memories of growing up near Palo Alto High School.
GW: It’s a beautiful song! Tell us more about how that song came to be.
MT: That one is similar thematically to the song we just talked about, "El Dorado." It’s this tale of the West. Castilleja is a type of flower that grows in California, mostly in the deserts. It’s a really pretty flower, but that word just stuck out to me. When I was growing up there was a private school right next to my high school, Palo Alto High. Castilleja was an all-girls private school. My partner Ketch Seccor and I were writing that song and I don’t know how we stumbled upon the word Castilleja. Looking up different flowers throughout California, trying to get some inspiration for a song. When we came across Castilleja, I never knew that was a desert flower but it reminded me of the school. I have heard that word since I was a little baby and I didn’t know it was a desert flower. We decided on that word and see where it took us.
GW: I’m not saying it correctly, am I?
MT: I’m probably not either. Everyone I know where I grew up calls it “Castalia.” That is probably not the correct pronunciation but it’s what I’ve always called it.
GW: Well, and when you sing it, it’s your own undeniable female voice doing its thing. I noticed another bonus track from City of Gold—"Dire Wolf." As a longtime Grateful Dead fan, how did that cover come to be?
MT: Oh, that song has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. My mom gave me Workingman’s Dead on vinyl, and I was fascinated by it. I’ve always loved "Dire Wolf" and wanted to cover it, but like a lot of Grateful Dead music, it’s deceptively hard. Each verse and chorus has different chords and variations, so it took us some time to work it out as a band. But we got there, and it’s become a fun one to play on the road!
Waiting until 9/20 for the new EP Into the Wild, at least I have this cover ready to ride already on City of Gold. As our conversation continued, Molly reflected on her experiences in the music industry, the importance of self-expression through fashion, and the challenges and joys of being a woman in the industry. She also opened up about living with alopecia and how that has shaped her perspective on image and identity.
GW: Since we last spoke, you’ve had quite a few red carpet moments. What does it mean to you to be a woman in the music industry? Does image matter?
MT: To me, it's a form of self-expression. I think as a woman in this industry, that's always getting pictures taken, and having to post on social media all the time. I feel like, for better or worse, women do have to think about it more. I feel like there's extra attention on what you're wearing, what you look like. And I mean, that can be really fun.
I love playing around with different outfits but I feel like I put more effort into it than the guys. You know? It is a lot of fun. That is not to say that guys don’t have fun with it too, but I feel like there is an extra level of scrutiny on us ladies.
I have fun with it. I like to dress up for the red carpet. I feel like for me, image is always something I've had to deal with in one way or another throughout my life because I grew up without hair. I lost my hair when I was a little kid to Alopecia. I’ve always asked myself, do I wear a wig? Do I go without? Do I wear a hat? How do I want to deal with this? Because I stick out. Do you want to blend in or do you want to embrace it and stand out? I'm kind of somewhere in the middle. I don't really always want this extra attention on my head, but it is cool. It's a cool way to, embrace who I am, and embrace all of our differences.
Sometimes I go without. Sometimes I'm wearing a wig. That's something I've always had to think about. So I feel like when I want to pick out outfits for stage or the red carpet, it's just an extension of that. How do I want to present myself?
GW: Do you work with a stylist?
MT: I have been working with a stylist for the past year or so. Actually, I met her through Shelby, who plays bass with me. She is one of Shelby’s good friends and she is great. She lives in Nashville and she will help me pick outfits for the road and big events like the Grammys. The last couple of years have been so much fun. It’s a really exciting way to play around with different outfits and dress it up a little more.
From sharing stories of her grandmother to discussing her songwriting process and inspirations, Molly Tuttle’s journey is one of self-discovery and fearless creativity. We can’t wait to see where Golden Highway takes her next!
GW: One last question about your song, “Goodbye Mary.” I’m not well versed in what it is like being in the recording studio, as I am but a lowly writer with crumpled-up notes in my pocket, lol. I have heard some singers talk about channeling somebody else when they are in the recording studio. Did you channel a little Ralph Stanley for this song? It’s so powerful.
MT: Thank you! Yes, that song follows the old ballad style, like a model mountain ballad-type song. That song I wrote right after Roe v Wade got overturned. I was really upset and I was talking to my partner about it. I felt at first that he didn’t understand what this meant to me and to so many other women and people who would be affected by this ruling. I felt like we were just on different pages about the whole thing. After we talked about it, we sat down and wrote that song.
Mary was my grandmother’s name. My mom told me a story about a friend of my grandmother’s who was caught in an abusive relationship and wound up pregnant. They were trying all sorts of things to get her out of this situation, but back in the day, women didn’t have a lot of options like we do now. Now these options are being stripped away again. We could end up back where my grandmother was, which is not a good situation. That was a song I wrote to give voice to the women of the past. It’s also a warning that we do not want to go back there.
Listening to Molly talk about her songs, I was in suspended disbelief. I’m so glad I brought my notes along because this conversation could have gone from professional to personal right quick. To be in the present moment, openly receiving Molly Tuttle, the songwriter’s words was a gift I will never forget. She is a beacon of joy, giving voice to women from the past and today.
As the sun set at Camp Shaw Wa Nas See, Molly and her band took to the stage with “We Ride at Dawn,” kicking off a powerful set that reminded us all why she’s one of the most beloved voices in modern bluegrass. Grandma Tuttle, age 91, was in the audience. From "El Dorado" to "Big Backyard," her music continues to resonate, both rooted in tradition and boldly looking forward. Any Molly Tuttle performance will be a full circle moment from where we've been to where I believe we are heading. Thank you for giving a voice to all of us women Molly!
Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway 9/1/2024 Shoe Fest setlist:
El Dorado
Evergreen, OK
Side Saddle
Down Home Dispensary
Yosemite
Shady Grove (traditional)
Alice in the Bluegrass
Queen of Hearts (Juice Newton cover)
Flatland Girl
Long Hot Summer Day (John Hartford cover)
*Allie Kral has entered the chat
Fiddle Shred featuring Allie Kral and Bronwyn Keith Hynes
Get Away Girl (new song from the forthcoming EP Into the Wild)
More Like a River
Where DId All the Wild Things Go?
Moonshiner
Dooley's Farm
Crooked Tree
San Joaquin
E: Big Backyard
Check out MORE PHOTOS from Golden Highway's set
