Jack Tuttle
Jack Tuttle is a California-based multi-instrumentalist and educator widely called the "Dean of Bay Area Bluegrass" — longtime instructor at Gryphon Stringed Instruments since 1979, mentor to Brittany Haas and AJ Lee, and father to Grammy-winning guitarist Molly Tuttle.
- Multi-instrumentalist on banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar; began teaching full-time at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto in 1979.
- Grew up in rural Illinois in a farming family; his father played guitar and banjo. Earned a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Illinois before moving to the Bay Area in 1979.
- Father of three accomplished bluegrass musicians: Molly Tuttle (multiple Grammy winner and IBMA Guitar Player / Female Vocalist of the Year), Sullivan "Sully" Tuttle (2019 National Flatpicking runner-up; AJ Lee & Blue Summit), and Michael Tuttle.
- Founded the family band The Tuttles, later The Tuttles with AJ Lee, releasing "Introducing the Tuttles with AJ Lee" and "Endless Ocean."
- Mentored AJ Lee from around age 7 after they met at the CBA Father's Day Festival; also taught fiddler Brittany Haas and many other prominent young Bay Area pickers.
- Author of a series of self-published bluegrass instruction books for banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar that are used internationally.
- Often called the "Dean of Bay Area Bluegrass"; also teaches workshops on music theory, critical listening, and the history of bluegrass.
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The Tuttles with AJ LeePlayed on recordings with The Tuttles with AJ Lee
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Molly and Jack TuttlePlayed on recordings with Molly and Jack Tuttle