Are you a Molly or a Jack? There are two kinds of people in the world. One is a Molly and the other is a Jack. A Molly is the good one always making the right choices, happy to serve with a smile. A Jack is the bad one without a care in the world — in other words TROUBLE. MollyJack shows us there’s a little bit of both in all of us.
From the moment Tambi (Molly) and Paige (Jack) hit the stage at the 2002 Olympics in Utah, with their tribute to 9/11 song, “We are America,” they have been destined for stardom. Every elementary school student in Utah, per the Governor’s request, has since sung the song, written by the duo. Beginning with their impromptu meeting in a church to their days co-writing on the farm, these two are a living storybook waiting to be told.
Coincidentally, Paige and Tambi were both born and raised in the desert climate of the Southwest. The second of four, Paige was born and raised in Cochise County by her parents who grew up just outside of a Navajo Nation. Tambi was born and raised in Southern Utah, the second of seven children.
For Paige, music and performance started at age ten. She sang her first solo at the school talent show and lost to Michelle Strater. This is when the competitive spirit kicked in. She knew at that moment music would be a driving force in her life. Tambi, on the other hand, was three when she experienced her first moment in the spotlight. It began with a performance in the Wee Winter Tree for a Christmas program. Tambi went on to win the State Fair with Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miners Daughter” years later.
Rooted deep in the MollyJack sound is the Southwestern influence of the legendary Rex Allen. “He was a cowboy and he never pretended to be anything but who he was. He wrote about it, and he lived it,” stated Paige. Tambi’s inspiration came the way of a songwriter’s night at the Bluebird in Nashville. Some of the best songwriters in Nashville turned out that night. Tambi reflected, “It was a very stormy night and only a few of us showed up. They thought about cancelling but decided to just do a few songs. We ended up being there for 3 hours with these amazing writers. One in particular was so moving I couldn’t help but believe everything that came out of his mouth. I fell in. It was Robert Burn. I had heard his songs but never heard him sing them. He was so gracious that night and I love everything he wrote.”
Paige and Tambi are both well versed in many instruments, most notably guitar and piano. Their artist influence continues to evolve. “I remember being a young girl in my Dad’s Plymouth listening to CCR, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins and the Eagles. Singing along until the eight track clicked over to the next side,” Paige reminisced. Today her influences range from Mozart to Radio Head. “I have always wanted to say, George Michael or Barry Manilow,” exclaimed Tambi. “And don’t forget Celine Dion. Really, it would be Loretta Lynn, Don Williams, Anne Murray, etc.”
MollyJack’s new album is currently being produced by the best in town; Tom Bukovac, Mills Logan and Kenny Greenberg are working with the duo. “As songwriters we want to be heard. We really feel like we have something to say. Between the two of us, we feel like we have experienced so much. If one person can connect with our music to help heal, make happy, feel, laugh, that’s enough.”