Songwriters on Process Molly Tuttle
Sep 5, 2025
Molly Tuttle, a GRAMMY-winning bluegrass musician, discusses her disciplined approach to songwriting and reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped her creative process. She reveals her motivation to limit distractions with a flip phone during her studies at Berklee. Tuttle emphasizes the evolution of songwriting from metaphor to personal expression and the importance of journaling. She also shares insights on the contrast between effortlessly crafted songs and those requiring revision, along with her love for reading and its influence on her music.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Flip Phone For Focus
- Molly Tuttle kept a flip phone at Berklee to avoid smartphone distractions and focus on music.
- She credits strict personal discipline for sustaining practice and songwriting habits.
Opening Track Sets The Record's Statement
- Molly placed the bold, image-driven “Everything Burns” first to declare the record's tone.
- She wanted a commanding opener that matched the record's contemporary and political themes.
Literal Imagery Moves Songs To Present
- For this album Molly favored direct, literal imagery over the more metaphorical style she used in bluegrass.
- That shift pushed the record into a more immediate, contemporary space anchored in present concerns.
