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On the heels of two Grammy-winning albums in succession, with her band Golden Highway--2022's Crooked Tree and 2023's City of Gold--plus a nomination for Best New Artist, Molly Tuttle returns with a solo album that's her most dazzling to date: So Long Little Miss Sunshine.
Recorded in Nashville with producer Jay Joyce (Orville Peck, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Eric Church, Cage the Elephant), the fifth full album from the California-born, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and virtuoso guitarist features twelve new songs--eleven originals and one highly unexpected cover of Icona Pop and Charli xcx's "I Love It."
Tuttle's career, which began at age fifteen, has charted a course between honoring bluegrass and stretching its boundaries. On this album--a hybrid of pop, country, rock, and flat-picking, plus one murder ballad--she goes to a whole new place. Her stunning guitar work is more up-front on this album than ever before. (One of the most decorated female guitarist alive, Tuttle was the first woman to win the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Award's Guitar Player of the Year in 2017, at age twenty-four, and won again the following year, with nominations nearly every year since; she has also won Americana Music Association's Instrumentalist of the Year award.) So Long Little Miss Sunshine also features Tuttle playing banjo, something she's never done on one of her albums before.
"I like to be a bit of a chameleon with my music," she says. "Keep people guessing and keep it full of surprises."
Tuttle has been slowly building this collection of songs over the last five years, while also writing and releasing two hugely successful albums and a six-song EP (last year's Into the Wild) and playing more than 100 shows each year with Golden Highway. Along the way she'd send songs to Joyce, who she first started talking to about collaborating on the album a few years ago.
"I've been wanting to make this record for such a long time. Part of me was scared to do such a big departure, and that went into the album title So Long Little Miss Sunshine. It's like, 'You know what? I'm just not going to care what people think. I'm going to do what I want.'"
The album was recorded with a group of musicians that includes drummer/percussionists Jay Bellerose and Fred Eltringham, bassist Byron House, and Joyce on multiple instruments. Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show) also plays banjo, fiddle, and harmonica, as well as singing harmony.
Tuttle also conceived the artwork for So Long Little Miss Sunshine, which features multiple Mollys, each wearing a different wig except for one with nothing on her head at all. ("I probably own as many wigs as I own guitars," she says.) Tuttle has been bald since she was three years old due to the autoimmune condition alopecia areata; she acts as a spokesperson for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
"I love raising awareness," she says. "I talk about it onstage a lot and broaden it to include anyone who's ever had something that makes them stick out and look or feel different from others. Playing my song 'Crooked Tree' live is very meaningful to me, because it's a moment where sometimes I'll take off my wig and talk about my struggles with self-acceptance."
One album track, "Old Me (New Wig)," is "about leaving all these things behind that don't serve you anymore," she says. "Parts of yourself that really aren't in your best interest, like low self-esteem, anxieties, and not feeling confident. Learning to own these different aspects of my personality but not letting them control me is another theme of the record that inspired the album title and the cover art. Those are all things I've struggled with through the years--just feeling like an impostor, like I wasn't good enough. I like singing this song because there are days when I still have to tell myself to leave that stuff behind.'"
Most of the So Long Little Miss Sunshine songs were co-written with Secor, who is also Tuttle's partner. "We spend so much time together, we live together, and anytime I have a song idea, or he has one, it's just so easy to transition from whatever we're doing into writing a song."
Although they were written in different times and circumstances, Tuttle found to her surprise that the songs were all tied together by interwoven themes. The opening track, "Everything Burns"--a dark, intense, big-guitar song--was written in 2020, during the chaos and division of the start of the Covid pandemic. It might as easily refer to the current chaos and division in America since Election Day 2024, though. In fact, they recorded it the day after the election.
There are several songs about traveling--sometimes down the open road, like "Highway Knows" and "Oasis"--but also back in time, as on "Easy" and "Golden State of Mind."
The record also tells "a kind of coming-of-age story," Tuttle says. "'Golden State of Mind' is one of the songs I feel is a through-line to that. It makes me think about people I've been close to in the past that I've drifted away from, and about growing up and figuring out who you are."
That theme is in turn picked up in the beautiful ballad "No Regrets," one of the last songs Tuttle wrote for the album. "It's about looking back on your life and thinking, 'Well, maybe I could have done things differently, but if I hadn't made certain mistakes or gone down certain roads, then I wouldn't be here.' And I really like where I am now!"
So Long Little Miss Sunshine closes, as her last two albums did, with an autobiographical song, "Story of My So-Called Life." "This is me looking back on my life, from growing up to going to school in Boston to moving to Nashville to where I am now--taking stock of all these pivotal moments throughout my life that made me who I am. I feel like after I've said so much in all the other songs, it's just kind of nice to end it on a note of, 'Here's how this all came to be,'" she says.
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Experienced Molly at the Knitting Factory in Boise, it was so entertaining and had me smiling and dancing. What a professional production and her all girl back up master musicians kicked some serious butt. Thanks for the memories ladies.
Saw Molly Tuttle and her new band at the Knitting Factory in Boise Idaho 8/9/25. I have seen her many times,but this was the first time with this new band. What a great show! Molly Tuttle is one of the most talented women in music today, I don't think she gets the respect she deserves, but she will here. Molly is an incredible multi talented artist, her acoustic guitar playing is top notch, combined with her ability to sing beautifully, and with a new album coming out soon this show was a treat indeed. Back by a new talented band, she is a must see for real music fans. Standing with some who were seeing her for the first time, they were blown away by her greatness. The venue itself was nice, cool and dark on a hot summer night. To all who read this go get her music and new album, and definitely go see her live, albums are nice but nothing beats seeing those songs live and in person 🫶
I wasn't sure what to make of the sound and line up. In the end still one of the best live experiences around. don't miss it.
This venue is nicely laid out and the VIP area was great. The sound was amazing. The drinks and food in VIP were yummy. Will come back again!
I had never heard of this wonderful performer and her great group of bandmates until Labor Day Weekend 2023 when they opened up for the Dave Matthews Band. I was immediately hooked. I started following her on insta to know what was happening and where I might be able to see her in the future. I was so happy they made it all the way to CA. We had a great time. The venue, the Observatory North Park was a great place to see her. Everything that evening was wonderful and I look forward to seeing her again.
Great venue, great band, skilled musicians who loved what they were doing. Fantastic show!
The music was incredible- absolutely top musicians at every post- fiddle was amazing- venue is ok, nothing special, but always gets the job done.
This metalhead was absolutely blown away. The entire show was amazing
Molly and the Golden Highway are unbelievably talented. The entire show from beginning to end was absolutely mesmerizing. I could’ve listened to them play for hours. Tannahill music hall is a beautiful venue in a fun part of Fort Worth. The combination of music and atmosphere made for a fun Tuesday night date with my beautiful wife. We will make plans to see Molly Tuttle anytime she comes to this part of Texas again. Molly is a must see artist if you enjoy country, bluegrass and jam band music. 10/10 highly recommend!
Molly is just the best! She had a great setlist and her opener, Amethyst Kiah, was also incredible. Apparently Molly meets fans before the show and takes requests. She sang a few and they were beautiful. The only negative was that once Molly came on, the people at the merch booth were no where to be found. I saw at least 15 people go over there and wait to buy a shirt and end up leaving without one. Someone needs to stay during the whole concert and there would be more sales.
Molly Tuttle was great. The opener was really good too. Cool venue. Everything went very smooth
Tannahills was a great venue. Amethyst Kiah opened the show with an awesome one woman performance. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway were high energy, non stop jamming for an hour and a half. Great music + great atmosphere = great night.
I've seen Molly Tuttle five times in four years. She gets better each time I see her.I saw her in 9/21 in Boulder, and I saw her 6/27/22 at The Birchmere. She got better during the interim by magnitudes -- 10 times better. This show was in my top 3 of 40 years of going to the Birchmere. My fave Bluegrass show ever (I've seen Doc Watson, Seldom Scene). Golden Highway + Molly were playing for their own enjoyment. It is rare to witness this and it was special. Bronwyn was great on fiddle. The boys were great on banjo and mando. But Shelby Means on bass was the secret sauce -- locking in the team on rhythm and driving them forward. Just an astonishing display of collective individual talent. Great tune list, especially covers of Townes Van Zandt and Rancid.
The venue needs no introduction. Needless to say it was a great vibe. I did not however expect this show to be such a heater! It's bluegrass and folk, sure, but Molly's new band really brings the jam and there's this wonderful touch of progressiveness, flirting with the edges of what is by definition a traditionalist genre. I was expecting a good show but did not expect such originality in presentation. An as always, watching Molly pick is just a total joy!
I have attended dozens of concerts at the Birchmere, in Alexandria, Virginia, and hundreds across the globe in my lifetime. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway delivered the finest concert I have ever heard at the Birchmere, and among the best I have witnessed in my life. Emmylou in 1978, James Taylor in 1977 - - she was in that rarified company - - one-in-a-generation artists who were just hitting their prime. Dear World - - listen to this stunning artist: great guitarist and songwriter, excellent singer, in total command of her craft. Golden Highway is the perfect back-up band for Molly, and deserve high praise. But make no mistake - - Molly is THE star, the ever-so-gracious star who is comfortable enough in her skin to share the spotlight with others. From beginning to end, the concert was perfectly paced. Highest point: "Olympia, WA", followed by "She's a Rainbow," and "Big Backyard". Molly's latest album, "Crooked Tree", is gorgeous from beginning to end, and was the centerpiece of the concert. Run, do not walk to the next Molly Tuttle concert!
Most phenomenal flatpicker since Do Watson. Just keeps getting better
This was our second time seeing Molly and first with this new lineup. They are all fantastic musicians and didn’t disappoint! This concert featured her friend Rachel Baiman as the warmup act - she had a comfortable voice though the sound crew had her vocals a bit muddy. When Molly and Golden Highway came on, the vocals were clear as a bell (though I thought a bit loud). Molly and the band’s talent made up for the sound crew. The venue was a standing room only room so it was easy to get close to the stage to watch Molly’s right-hand work - wow! We’ll definitely keep an eye out for more shows in the hall (District Live in Savannah GA).
Molly and Golden Highway are great and going to be huge - catch this show now while they’re still playing intimate venues. Excellent, highly energetic performance. A+ for Molly & the band. C for the mix - vocals were sadly buried though all instruments came through clearly. Overall great show!
Fantastic show. I am looking forward to the next one. Molly & Golden Highway was on fire. Great experience with Fantastic music.
This show in Madison was our third in less than a week. That triple dose of Molly and the band have made us Tuttleheads for life. She played everything we wanted to hear and more. My personal favorites were the unplugged numbers with acoustic bass and stomp box. It’s really a joy to see artists on the cusp of something big. See Molly and the band ASAP while you can still watch the amazing players from just a few feel away. Soon enough it’ll be much bigger crowds and way higher ticket prices. They left us “Helpless” in the glow of the most amazing artists/show we’ve see in a long while.
