Bluegrass artists Old Crow Medicine Show, Molly Tuttle take over Stern Grove
SAN FRANCISCO -- The sounds of bluegrass will take over San Francisco Sunday as Old Crow Medicine Show" and the Bay Area's own Molly Tuttle grace the stage.
The artists have collaborated in the past, and now they'll dazzle fans for the first time on the Stern Grove stage.
The Grammy-winning Americana string band Old Crow Medicine Show has performed at many San Francisco venues, including the Fillmore and the Warfield.
"We come from Tennessee, but we're kind of more like California to a certain degree, as far as our progressive ideologies," said frontman Ketch Secor. "I mean we both drive gas guzzlin' diesel engines, so maybe not that part."
"I think we're both Priuses at heart," added guitarist Mike Harris.
The acoustic band began busking on street corners in the northwest more than 20 years ago. Today, they are dedicated to entertaining fans and sending powerful messages about social, political, and environmental issues.
Secor and Harris said their new song "Used to be a Mountain" raises awareness about climate change.
"Almost 100% of surface mining in Kentucky -- that's when they take the mountain down, they cut right through it -- they destroy watersheds to do this," said Secor. "They make water no longer potable for kids. It has all sorts of devastating effects on the region of Appalachia, so because we are singing very much with gratitude to the roots which are so much from the Appalachian region with our fiddles and our banjos, we think the environment is worth singing about too. We're proud to stand up in our way to protect it."
Old Crow Medicine Show said fans can expect a bit of a musical buffet during their performance Sunday.
"Being based in Nashville and working in this touring industry, a lot of times we end up on the East Coast more often than not," said Harris. "So going to the West Coast, seeing the scenery, being on the coast, it's actually some of the most exciting shows I feel like I get to play."
Roots singer and songwriter Molly Tuttle, who grew up in Palo Alto, will open the show. Her dad is a bluegrass musician and teacher. In high school, she was already playing shows. Molly and her dad Jack even performed "Grass Valley" from her new album Crooked Tree.
"There is a really great music scene here. I just kind of grew up hearing this kind of music, and then later learning how to play guitar from my dad who taught me how to play and then just going to all these great bluegrass festivals that we have here. Of course we have the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco every year," said Tuttle. "It's where I got to see so many of my heroes."
Tuttle says her latest title track is about embracing who you are and our differences. She also uses her platform to raise awareness about alopecia.
"I lost my hair when I was three years old. So this is a wig and for a long time, people didn't really realize that I wore wigs," said Tuttle. "It's just felt like it's a way for me to help myself feel confident in who I am and then from there hopefully it branches out to other people."
DJ Walkin' Love will also appear, warming up the crowd before the live music begins at 2 p.m. Ticket reservations for Sunday's show are still available along with more information about the performers at the Stern Grove website.
