Roots and Resilience: Molly Tuttle

By Sarah Swirsky, MSW, LISW

Roots and Resilience is a series celebrating artists whose stories reveal how music can help us overcome adversity, embrace vulnerability, and transform life’s challenges into creative expression. 

Did you know Grammy-winning guitarist and songwriter Molly Tuttle has lived with alopecia universalis since she was just three years old? Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss—and in Molly’s case, it led to the total loss of hair on her head and body. Her journey is one of resilience, creativity, and the power of embracing what makes us different. 

As a child, Molly wore hats and wigs to avoid the stares her condition attracted, but hiding only deepened her fear of being truly seen. Music became her refuge—a place where she could express what words could not. Everything changed when she performed without a wig at an alopecia conference, a terrifying but liberating moment met with warmth and acceptance. 

Since then, she has embraced visibility and advocates for others, partnering with the National Alopecia Areata Foundation to share her story and raise awareness. Molly’s artistry and technical mastery have earned her national recognition. She made history as the first woman ever named International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year, winning the title in both 2017 and 2018. Her album Crooked Tree earned the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, along with multiple IBMA honors, including Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year. 

Her Grammy-winning album Crooked Tree reflects her message: a celebration of uniqueness and an invitation to embrace the qualities that make us different. Molly’s music turns vulnerability into beauty, proving that our imperfections are not flaws to hide but truths to honor. Her songs remind us that when we allow ourselves to be fully seen—messy, human, and real—we create connection and meaning that lasts.