Introducing The Tuttles

The Tuttles with AJ Lee consists of young emerging bluegrass artists AJ Lee (age 12), Molly Tuttle (age 17), Sullivan Tuttle (15), and Michael Tuttle (12) along with music teacher and Tuttle father: Jack Tuttle. They have astonished and delighted audiences with their blazing fast instrumentals and beautiful, incredibly moving singing. They first met and jammed together at the 2004 California Bluegrass Association's Father's Day Festival. The excitement and fun of those jams sparked friendships among the young musicians, and soon parents were shuttling kids and instruments back and forth across the San Francisco Bay for play dates of the musical kind. Jack, his children, and AJ began performing together and in 2008 they formed The Tuttle's with AJ Lee. They are proud to present their first collaborative CD. Now, here's a family that saved a bundle on music lessons! Molly, Sullivan and Michael Tuttle are taught by their father Jack, who has taught bluegrass music for the past 30 years at Gryphon Stringed Instruments, while also performing professionally. Jack, in turn, was inspired to learn bluegrass by his father, Gerald Tuttle, who formed the original Tuttle Family Band many decades ago on the family's farm in Illinois. Molly, Sullivan and Michael grew up listening to Jack practice each night in the living room. Curious, they experimented -- strumming the various instruments their father owned and singing favorite songs. When they were ready, Jack began nightly lessons -- allowing them to try out guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. After several years of practice they had the chops to perform in public -- and the all-new Tuttle Family Band was born. Like the Tuttle's, AJ's family has been involved in music for generations. AJ grew up hearing a wide range of musical styles, from rock and jazz to country, folk, and bluegrass. Her original instrument was ukulele, but now she plays mandolin and fiddle. It is always a treat to watch people's faces when AJ begins to sing - she surprises her audiences with a voice that's mature beyond the owner's years. AJ began singing at the age of two, and at four she was entertaining audiences. The Tuttles and AJ hope you enjoy this collection of some of their very favorite songs.