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From creating the Molly Miller Trio with Jennifer Condos and Jay Bellerose in 2016 to playing and touring with artists like Jason Mraz, to teaching guitar at the University of Southern California, Molly brings a passion for music and a sophisticated, raw style to everything she does.

“The best things in life happen naturally, which has been true for me,” Molly says. “I’ve been able to have a diversified career that has served me very well and I think it all informs each other. Not only does it keep me busy, it keeps me challenged. I’m fortunate that everything I do brings me joy and the goal is to grow from it as well.”

Molly’s latest endeavor is The Ballad of Hotspur, Molly Miller Trio’s third album and follow-up to 2021’s St. George. The album, a collection of instrumental Americana jazz songs tinged with folk and Surf Rock vibes, harkens back to 2020 when musicians were forced off the road by the pandemic. Molly realized she could take advantage of the moment to write new music, so she and Jennifer began sending ideas back and forth. Eventually, the trio found themselves in the same room again.

“These songs came to life when the three of us played them together,” Molly says. “There’s something that's really specific about the three of us. There’s a shared vision of what the music should be. We come from an eclectic mix of backgrounds, but it all melds together.”

The band went into LA’s Valentine Studios to record the album in April of 2022 after two years of writing and laid down the tracks in only two days. The trio self-produced the LP with the help of sound engineer Jason Wormer (T Bone Burnett). The aim was to capture the dynamic energy of the group’s live show in the studio, almost like snapping a photograph of a particular moment in time. “There’s no such thing as perfect, but the more real and alive a recording is the better it feels,” Molly notes. “To me, music is simply capturing an instance in the room.”

The Ballad of Hotspur draws its name from a character in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1, unfurling as a saga. Although the songs vary in style and tone, the overall piece draws the listener on an epic journey as the musicians embrace bold, playful instrumentation alongside moments of quiet reflection. From bluesy opener and first single “Cine” to jazz-tinged “Blues to Greens” to Western-inspired “66 West,” The Ballad of Hotspur showcases evocative glimpses into Molly’s experiences and thoughts over the past few years.