After 41 years of practicing law, musician and novelist Richard Tuttle has taken up a new job. In October of last year, the professional polymath joined the board of the Chestnut Hill Local. 

It was an easy decision, he said. After joining the board of the Chestnut Hill Community Association in July, Tuttle learned that the Local also needed a new board member, so he stepped up. 

“I have always had a lot of affection for the Local,” he said. “Philadelphia Magazine picked the Local as the best weekly paper in the city when I moved to Chestnut Hill in 1979, I remember, and I have been reading it ever since then.

“And I do have some background in journalism law,” he continued. “I formerly represented newspapers on copyright, defamation and 'fair use' issues, so I thought I could help.”

Tuttle, who grew up in Bethlehem, graduated from Cornell University Law School and later earned a master's degree in taxation from Temple University, is also a self-taught musician who plays bass in an Irish band, “Reilly's Daughter with Tommy Conwell,” that he and his wife, vocalist Lucie Daigle, started. 

The ensemble, which has several videos on YouTube, has played often at the Mermaid Inn, Cosmic Cafe on Boathouse Row, and at one time, every weekend at La Provence in the Ambler Train Station. 

“Bass players are a dime a dozen,” said Tuttle, “but I can fake it. We have lots of gigs lined up for 2024. It is so much fun.”

After retiring from his legal career, Tuttle wrote his first novel, “Wyoming” (Cat's Paw Publishing in Spring House), which truly blew me away. I did not think a book about Wyoming would be that appealing, but wow, was I wrong! “Wyoming” is a gripping courtroom drama which I would honestly compare to the works of John Grisham, master of courtroom drama.

The protagonist, Patrick Flaherty, leaves a big eastern city, which he hates, to live in the vast, sparsely populated spaces of Wyoming, which he loves, so he can spend his days hunting, farming and scavenging. One night at a bar, however, he says the wrong thing to the wrong stranger and becomes the target of a criminal investigation by the U.S. government. The ensuing drama is very compelling and very believable.

Tuttle said he’s been “stupefied” to see how many people seemed to love the book. 

“I constantly bumped into folks who had just finished the book and couldn't wait to talk about it,” he said. “The most gratifying part is how much fun it has been to use text and a story to communicate so many ideas to so many people. Life doesn't offer that kind of opportunity very often … There is still an occasional book club that reads 'Wyoming.'”

Late in 2022, Tuttle released his second novel, “Lou 1019,” and it is another page-turner. It is about Lou Incaviglia, of Norristown, who gets into the fight of his life and has to depend on an alcoholic lawyer and fearless daughter to prevail. Tuttle recently released his third novel, “Best Interests,” another legal drama.

Tuttle and Daigle have a son, Patrick, who is now a pilot for Air Canada, and a daughter, Catherine, who is another singer/songwriter. 

When I asked Tuttle what was the hardest thing he has ever done, he replied, “Land an airplane with an engine that wanted to quit. Or maybe it was learning all of the bass lines on the Beatles' Abbey Road album.”

For more information, visit amazon.com or catspawpublishing.com. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com