Northern California Bluegrass Awards Says The Tuttles - Best Bluegrass Band

The Tuttles With A. J. Lee Named Best Bluegrass Band At Northern California Bluegrass Awards

The Tuttles With A. J. Lee of Palo Alto was named the 2011 Best Bluegrass Band at the Northern California Bluegrass Awards ceremony held in Redwood City on January 29.  Bandmates A. J. Lee, Best Female Vocalist (Tracy), and Molly Tuttle, Best Guitar Player (Palo Alto), received individual honors.

The Tuttles with special guest AJ Lee are a mostly kids band playing bluegrass and old-time music based in Palo Alto , CA . They feature two of the finest young singers in the country with Molly Tuttle and AJ Lee, and the high-speed picking of Molly's brothers, Sullivan and Michael. Thet have performed at some of California's premier music festivals, including Starwberry and the California Bluegrass Association's Grass Valley Festival. Their YouTube videos have been seen by over a million viewers Under the musical direction of their father, Jack, a long-time bluegrass musician and teacher, The Tuttles with AJ Lee have impressed audiences with their high-level bluegrass skills. Their CD, Introducing The Tuttles With AJ Lee, has drawn rave reviews.

Video when the Tuttles were younger
Now almost 1.5 Million Views on YouTube

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Molly Tuttle (18) sings lead and plays multiple instruments. Despite her young age, she has developed into one of the premier acoustic musicians in the country. As a singer, songwriter, banjo player and guitar player, she has amazed fans across the country. She recorded her first CD with her father, Jack Tuttle. At the age of fifteen, she taught flatpicking guitar at the California Coast Music Camp. Molly excels as a versatile singer, with deep roots in old-time and bluegrass, but increasingly her instinctive sense of contemporary music has drawn national attention. As Dennis Brunnenmeyer, KVMR radio on-air personality said of her CD, “with her crystal-clear voice, crisp falsettos and her apparently instinctive interpretations, The Old Apple Tree is bound to be just the first of many CDs to come. Keep an eye and both ears trained on Molly Tuttle. This is one young woman you don't want to overlook.” AJ Lee (12) is one of the finest young bluegrass singers in the country. With a full voice that reflects a deep understanding of bluegrass singing despite her young age, she has been a favorite at bluegrass festivals for four years. By the age of eight, she was being asked to perform at major bluegrass events, including the IBMA FanFest in Nashville. In 2008, AJ performed at a major NASCAR event in Indianapolis to an audience of 40,000 and on national TV. With The Tuttles she plays mandolin, but she also plays guitar, fiddle and banjo. Sullivan Tuttle (14) plays guitar and is a rapidly developing star of flatpicking bluegrass. Able to play at the fastest of bluegrass tempos, Sullivan has been performing on stage since the age of eight. His solos are a surprisingly complex blend of virtuosity and taste. Michael Tuttle (12) has been playing mandolin for six years and has no trouble keeping up with his older siblings. Whether it's a Monroe style traditional piece, or a jazzy number, Michael shows a command of his instrument that belies his young age. Jack Tuttle is the band's bass player, fiddle player, vocalist and music director. He is an honorary lifetime member of the California Bluegrass Association and has been a full-time bluegrass teacher for thirty years. Jack has played in the California bluegrass scene since the 1980's and has toured in the US , Canada and Japan . Known for numerous standout students, this band features some of his best.

MORE NCB AWARDS:

• Billy Pitrone of Santa Cruz won Best Male Vocalist for the fourth time
• Larry Cohea of Oakland won his third Best Banjo Player award, 
• Jim Mintun of Capitola his third Best Dobro Player Award.
• Dan Booth, who recently left the Bay Area to become a Lyons, Colorado resident, was voted Best Bass Player. 
• Pete Hicks of Aromas tied with Ed Neff of Petaluma for Best Mandolin Player. 
• Hicks also tied with Paul Shelasky of Novato in the Best Fiddle Player category.

Lifetime Achievement honors went to:

• Tom Diamant of El Cerrito, 
• Ray Edlund of Gualala, 
• Eric Rice of Grass Valley,   and 
• Mary Tilson of Seattle.

The 4th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards are a part of the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Bluegrass 

On Broadway Festival.