Watch Molly Tuttle’s Paste Session From MerleFest

Paste Studio “On The Road” rambles on, this time to Wilkesboro, N.C., for the 36th annual MerleFest! The festival was founded in 1988 in memory of Doc Watson’s son Merle, and features “traditional plus” music, described by Doc Watson himself as, “the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.” Molly Tuttle’s session here turned an intimate session stage into an acoustic masterclass.

Full Session

With her guitar for accompaniment, Tuttle started with “Alice in the Bluegrass,” a Tuttle original weaving folklore with her bluegrass roots. She transitioned from “Alice” into Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” infusing the psychedelic rock staple with her own vibe, Tuttle’s and Grace Slick’s rebellious spirits resonating together in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the most rewarding aspects of these studio sessions is watching artists adapt and evolve their performances to fit the session environment. During her main stage set later that night, Tuttle had her band Golden Highway with her to play the spacey bits during the medley between “Alice” and “Rabbit.” In this session, we get to see her figure out how to play the transition on her acoustic guitar in real time.