Becca Mohler Draws Inspiration from Motherhood and Nature on Little Coyotes’ Debut Family Music Album

Becca Mohler, lead vocalist and songwriter for Long Beach, California, indie-folk band Little Coyotes, is captivated by the natural world, from the wild beauty of a campfire to the majesty of a waterfall. The mom of three pays tribute to these Earthly treasures and more on the band’s debut album, Songs to Howl & Sing, a collection of sweet, singalong tunes buoyed by guitar, banjo, keys, percussion, and a vintage, Simon & Garfunkel 1960s vibe.

Produced by Becca’s Grammy-nominated husband Billy Mohler, Little Coyotes’ debut album (out October 18) is also an extension of the couple’s home life. Before becoming parents, Becca and Billy, who once played in the L.A. rock band War Tapes, cofounded Cal Heights Music School shortly after the birth of their twins.  

As such, Songs to Howl & Sing tunes are written with budding musicians and tiny travelers top of mind: “Little Adventure” invites young explorers to gaze at the wonderous creatures surrounding them, while the super-catchy “National Parks” guides its listeners on an imaginary tour through protected outdoor spaces. My other favorite track, “Looking Out My Window,” reminds the listener that the best road trip entertainment isn’t on a screen, but just outside the car window, on the side of a scenic road.  

“Growing up outside of Boston, places like Yosemite, Crater Lake, Zion, seemed like places out of mythology to me,” Becca tells Rockmommy. “When I moved out to California, I couldn’t believe that you could drive to national parks in just a few hours! Seeing Yosemite for the first time made me cry.”

We recently caught up with Becca to chat more about raising kids, Little Coyotes, and why music and nature are the pillars of her soul.

Rockmommy: Hi Becca! Could you tell us a little bit about your background? Who were your earliest musical inspirations?

Becca Mohler: Music was a HUGE part of my childhood. I started playing piano when I was 5 and continued until 9th grade. It was in 7th grade that I picked up the guitar, and just madly fell in love with it! I taught myself some chords and dove into learning songs from The Beatles to the Grateful Dead, to Neil Young – I tried to learn anything my parents had on vinyl!

I started writing my own songs on guitar and started guitar lessons in 10th grade. There are so many very early inspirations for me such as Simon & Garfunkel, Donovan, The Velvet Underground, The Pixies, R.E.M., Tom Petty, The Beatles but I could probably go on and on all day! 

Rockmommy: While you’re a New England native, you got your start in the music industry at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. How did that spark interest in you on the music business side of things?

Becca Mohler: I went to college at The George Washington University where I majored in Fine Arts, but along with art, music continued to be my other main love. D.C. was such an incredible city to be in for music. I started interning at the 9:30 Club, devouring every show I could see for free. It was the best! I also was interning for record labels and having so much fun promoting bands.

While I was constantly playing and writing songs in my room, I didn’t have the confidence to be a musician at that time. But the music “business” side of things was really exciting! 

Rockmommy: How did you end up in Los Angeles, where you would meet your future husband (and musical collaborator) Billy Mohler?

Becca Mohler: I actually met Billy in D.C., he was in a band touring, and I was working for the label the band was signed to at the time. It was a sliding doors moment the day we met with both of us making decisions that ended up putting us in the same place at the same time. We immediately hit it off and stayed in touch, eventually dating long distance for two years before I made the move out to L.A.!  

Rockmommy: Take us back to your rock band War Tapes, which you played in with your husband. You had a good run, from 2004 to 2010 or so. When you think back to that time, what do you miss the most?

Becca Mohler: War Tapes was one of the best times! It was a band that we formed in L.A .along with my brother (on lead vocals) and our good friend on guitar. So it was really a family band. We were so lucky to open for and tour alongside some of the most amazing bands, from the Smashing Pumpkins to Tiger Army, VNV Nation, She Wants Revenge, Jonathan Richman, and so many more.

We toured the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. It really was a special time, one I am so grateful to have memories of, and perhaps we will do more shows again one day! We have never fully closed that door, even though everyone in the band is very busy with their own musical projects!

Rockmommy: When did marriage and motherhood come into play for you and Billy? How did starting a family change your musical ambitions?

Becca Mohler: Billy and I got married right before War Tapes formed. Having kids wasn’t on our minds right away but as War Tapes started to wind down, and Billy found himself busy with more and more production projects in L.A., we decided it might be a good time. I played one of our last War Tapes shows while 7 months pregnant with our daughter.

Then a couple years later we had identical twins. Having kids was the absolutely best thing we ever decided to do, but it definitely made things harder when it came to making music and being in a band. It’s taken a while for me to be able to commit again to writing and recording.

Now that our children are a little bit older, I have come back to making music. So while things definitely changed, my love of creating music, writing, and recording never dimmed, just took the back burner for a bit. 

Rockmommy: Today you have three children between ages 10 and 12 — and you have a music school in Long Beach! Which came first? Did one inspire the other?

Becca Mohler: Our children came first. It was after they were born that we moved from Los Angeles to Long Beach to be closer to family. Being musicians, we found ourselves being asked by neighbors and friends about where we were going to take our children for music classes because they were looking for their own children.

We found that the place we were looking for didn’t exist, and from that realization the idea for our own music school started. When a friend showed us a space for lease just down the street from where we lived, we couldn’t resist the fate of perfect timing and location. So, without knowing anything about starting a brick-and-mortar business, we signed a lease! We are now celebrating our 6-year anniversary and LOVE being small business owners! 

Rockmommy: The Little Coyotes record Songs to Howl & Sing celebrates the beauty of the natural world! It’s really lovely, folksy, and reminds me of some of the songs my sons loved when they were a little younger. How did it come together?

Becca Mohler: Thank you so much! This album has been percolating for a while, as playing my guitar and singing for my own kids is something I do all the time. I grew up going to camp, each and every summer! When I was old enough I began working as a camp counselor. I taught boating (canoeing and rowing) and also helped out in the music program where I learned every camp song imaginable. These songs have stuck with me and the nostalgia they invoke is so strong. I started writing my own songs and before long realized there was a whole album there. Billy and I recorded them at our home studio and it’s been so much fun! 

Rockmommy: Let’s talk about “National Parks” — the song and your love for them. Is there a favorite one you or your family love to visit?

Becca Mohler: I have always been obsessed with the National Parks! Growing up outside of Boston, places like Yosemite, Crater Lake, Zion, seemed like places out of mythology to me. It wasn’t until high school that my family took a trip out West and I saw the Grand Canyon. After that we visited Acadia National Park in Maine. When I moved out to California I couldn’t believe that you could drive to National Parks in just a few hours! Seeing Yosemite for the first time made me cry.

The song “National Parks” was written while driving through a thunderstorm in Yosemite with Billy and our kids. It came into my head and I quickly recorded it on my phone so I wouldn’t forget it. I don’t exactly have a favorite National Park because each is so special, but I love helping my daughter do the Junior Ranger program at each park, and there are so many more to visit! 

Rockmommy: It’s no secret that our natural world is threatened by climate change. You live in California and witness events like wildfires that are the byproduct of it. How does that influence your songwriting?

Becca Mohler: Climate change is certainly very real and being felt all over the world, and close to home with the yearly wildfires that have gotten worse and worse. My songwriting is very influenced by nature and the outside world. Music is such a great way to teach, and when we learn at a young age to appreciate nature, then I think that means as adults we will continue to care and protect our Mother Earth. 

Rockmommy: Do your children play instruments too? (Do they have a favorite song)?

Becca Mohler: Yes they love to play music. Our daughter started with piano then moved to drums. She recently picked up the bass and is playing it in our music school’s indie band for kids! One of our twins loves to play piano, and the other loves to sing! I am not sure if they have a favorite song on the album, I think they like “AEIOU” the most.

Rockmommy: What are some of the messages you hope to impart with your music?

Becca Mohler: I hope to encourage families to get outside with their little ones, to take road trips to new and wondrous places, to appreciate the beauty on rainy days as much as they do on sunny days, and to encourage time outside exploring and observing.

Rockmommy: How does motherhood continue to inform your creativity?

Becca Mohler: Every day, I feel incredibly fortunate to learn from my children. Being their mom is a profound honor that allows me to experience the world through their eyes. Their unique perspectives and boundless creativity has opened my own eyes to new possibilities and joys. They constantly remind me of the beauty in the little things and the magic in everyday moments. This is why choosing to homeschool them was really important to me. I truly cherish the opportunity to grow alongside them! 

This blog is part of Rockmommy’s Sponsored Artists series, curated by Marisa Torrieri Bloom, the editor and founder of Rockmommy.