“My first memory of listening to vinyl was when I was probably around five or six years old. My dad had a big collection of vinyl and an old record player, which sometimes worked but was broken a lot. My mom once showed me the needle and said that there was a real diamond on the end of it—as a five year old, that blew my mind.”
“The most vivid memory of listening to vinyl as a child was Bing Crosby’s “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” off of his children’s album. I loved getting to look at the artwork while listening to the song. I remember being entranced by the record spinning and the crackling noises that the record player made. It always felt really special and exciting when one of my parents would get out that album and put it on.
My mom’s sister, Sully Roddy, was a well-known radio DJ in the Bay Area for the station KPIG and had an extensive record collection from when she was on the radio. I remember looking through her collection when I was a bit older and finding a lot of classic country and folk music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. I learned a lot from her—she would recommend different albums for me to check out by Buck Owens, Nancy Griffith, Merle Haggard, and others.
When I was in my early teens my dad gave away most of his records as well as the record player, but I managed to save a few of my favorites, which I framed and had on my walls all through my teen years. I kept Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Instrumentals, The Stanley Brothers’ Live at the Folk Song Festival, and The Band’s self-titled album, which hung above my bed.
I didn’t have a record player through high school or college, but I still liked going to record stores and buying them as gifts for friends and family. I would stay on the lookout for records by The Smiths or Neutral Milk Hotel, my two younger brother’s favorite bands. I have fond memories of spending hours in the San Francisco Amoeba Music—I liked to look through their collection of Bay Area bluegrass and folk artists who I grew up listening to like the Good Ol’ Persons, Laurie Lewis, and David Grisman.
I now cherish the ritual of putting on a good record while making breakfast, cleaning the house, or just relaxing. My current go-to in the morning is Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. For me, putting on a record and listening to it start-to-finish feels like an intentional and immersive way to experience music. It’s a nice way to slow down and unplug from the distractions of technology. I also really enjoy reading liner notes and looking at album artwork, but sadly some of that has been lost in the digital age.
Ultimately though, I’m happy to see that vinyl has made a comeback in recent years and hope that the popularity continues to grow!”
—Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle’s new seven-song EP “Rise” arrives in stores June 2, 2017.
MOLLY TUTTLE TOUR DATES
June 2 – John Hartford Memorial Festival – Bean Blossom, IN
June 3 – The Station Inn (EP Release) – Nashville, TN
June 9 – Folk N Bluegrass Festival – Pagosa Springs, CO
July 12 – Middlebury Festival On The Green – Middlebury, VT
July 13 – Club Passim – Cambridge, MA
June 14 – Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival – Oak Hill, NY
July 16 – Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mount Solon, VA
Aug. 5 – Sugar Maple Festival – Madison, WI
Aug. 12 – Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival – Alta, WY
Sept. 9 – Mountain Song Festival – Brevard, NC
Sept. 22 – Watermelon Park Festival – Berryville, VA
Sept. 24 – Amesbury Music Festival – Amesbury, MA
Oct. 21 – Blooming Bluegrass Festival – Farmers Branch, TX
Nov. 17 – Hudson Valley Bluegrass Assoc. – Poughkeepsie, NY
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PHOTO: ANTHONY SCARLATI
