Award-winning instrumentalist and vocalist Molly Tuttle will perform a very special album release concert on Thursday, August 27 via Instrumenthead Live, a new streaming service created by acclaimed music photographer Michael Weintrob. The stripped-down, acoustic performance will preview Tuttle’s new covers album, ...but i’d rather be with you (out August 28 via Compass Records), with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

It is easy to understand that musicians whose lifeblood is not only playing for a crowd but feeding off their audience’s liveliness would feel an unfillable void during these unusual times. From a fan’s perspective, they couldn’t think of anywhere better to be than with their favorite band, with that crowd, in that sacred space of connectivity. It’s hard to imagine the artists wouldn’t have that similar longing as playing for a packed music hall isn’t safe for the foreseeable future.

Molly Tuttle has released her cover of Grateful Dead’s “Standing On The Moon.” The new song, which features Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes on background vocals, is joined by a hypnotizing companion visual and will appear on Tuttle’s forthcoming record, … but i’d rather be with you, available everywhere Friday, August 28 via Compass Records. 

WATCH “STANDING ON THE MOON”

Ever since Bill Monroe stormed out of Kentucky 75 years ago with a hot new take on traditional tunes, bluegrass music’s metric drive and high lonesome sound has thrilled and inspired audiences around the world. That bluegrass high energy and soulfulness was captured live in December of 2019 at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky for BLUEGRASS NOW!, a nationally televised PBS special premiering Saturday, February 29.

Shooter Jennings and Watkins Family Hour join The Milk Carton Kids and Sam Lewis for the Saturday, March 28 PBS TV Taping of Bluegrass Underground. Tickets available now!

This event is a rare opportunity to see brother sister duo, Sean and Sara Watkins, as Watkins Family Hour, a project they started in 2002 in Los Angeles to try out some original songs and a few covers that wouldn’t work in Nickel Creek.

The 43rd Ann Arbor Folk Festival took place at Hill Auditorium last Friday and Saturday night. The two-day event was a benefit for legendary local music venue The Ark and featured national and local artists from Iron & Wine + Calexico to Molly Tuttle, Cold Tone Harvest, Bettye Lavette, and Nathaniel Rateliff. Willie Porter emceed the festival. A recap from Saturday:

Nathaniel Rateliff

WinterWonderGrass 2020 is on the horizon and the festival is excited to share the official daily schedule for their Vermont edition, taking place April 10 & 11 at Stratton Resort in Manchester, VT. The placement of this year’s festival coincides with the end of the ski and snowboard season at the resort, and WinterWonderGrass plans to bring one heck of party to the mountain’s base to close out the year.

Molly Tuttle began her musical journey as a kid growing up in the Bay Area of California. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, she is transforming the roots of Americana into a sound uniquely her own. IMBA named her guitarist of the year 2017 and in 2018. The Americana Music Association named her Instrumentalist of the Year 2018.  With her first solo album release, When You’re Ready, she is poised to contribute new and fresh thoughts into a genre that can desperately use it.

DelFest, the festival brainchild of Del McCoury and his extended McCoury family now in its 13th year, in partnership with High Sierra Music, announced additions to an already star-studded lineup today. Held at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in beautiful Cumberland, MD, DelFest originated from the desire to create a family-friendly music festival celebrating the rich legacy of McCoury music while creating a forum for world-class musical collaborations and to showcase fresh new talent.