Rising bluegrass star Sierra Hull may call Nashville home but her day-to-day life is, like a lot of musicians, mostly on the road. With an army of artists wanting to collaborate with Hull either in the studio or onstage and sold-out crowds waiting to see her seemingly never-ending tours, she’s lucky to catch a breath. Between stops on her ongoing fall tour ahead of the International Bluegrass Music Awards where she looks to take home her fourth consecutive “Mandolin Player of the Year” award, Live For Live Music caught up with Hull by email for a deep dive into her songwriting, mandolin playing, feelings about musical legacies, and more.
Live For Live Music: As musicians go you have a remarkably complete set of tools already. You’re a musical triple threat: a solid songwriter, a talented instrumentalist, and a singer with a sweet voice you’ve honed into an emotive force. How much time do you dedicate to practicing these disciplines?
Sierra Hull: Thank you so much for saying that. I really feel a connection to all three things to the point where I’m not sure I could feel complete if I had to only focus on just one thing. Songwriting, singing, and playing my instrument are all things that move me in different ways and stimulate my creativity in different ways. Songwriting is a way to express myself perhaps deepest of all and feels more like a need sometimes than just a skill. Singing is in some ways the easiest musical connection I feel like we can have with each other as humans, much like talking. Playing my instrument at this point just feels like a natural extension of my body because of the many hours I’ve spent with it in my hands.
Live For Live Music: On the songwriting front you’ve spoken numerous times about writing with partners. What do you see as the separate benefits of writing with others as opposed to creating solo compositions?
Sierra Hull: When I write solo every choice is in my court. That can be an incredible avenue of expression with no outside voices and sometimes it’s a really rewarding experience to just write something that is fully me in that way. But I’ve found I’ve also written some of my most personal songs with someone else in the room. Sometimes bringing someone else in to say “Hey, this part of your story is intriguing” or maybe even just someone who encourages you to finish something you’re already working on can have real impact. Many times I may also think an idea I have is no good previously, especially being that I’m my own worst critic. A co-writer may have a connection with that idea you had as a solo writer, but wouldn’t have given the time of day without their encouragement to dive deeper.
Live For Live Music: Do you go into your songwriting process with an end goal in mind? When speaking of your tune “Poison” you’ve mentioned it was created in a purposeful attempt to merge the spirits of Britney Spears and Shakespeare. Does more of your work come from these guiding “concept” styles?
Sierra Hull: I would say that’s less common than just seeing where the inspiration leads. It has happened that way a handful of times though. I wrote my song “What Do You Say” because I really wanted to write a bluegrass song to sing in the key of B that was played fast and sung slow. Sometimes having some boxes you put yourself in with intention can lead to some fun things.
Live For Live Music: Your voice is singular but evokes elements of those who’ve gone before you. Are there singers who you feel influenced your vocal sound? Any past work with coaches to achieve your sound or is it just naturally evolved?
Sierra Hull: Of course! My mom has a beautiful singing voice and was the first person that ever taught me a song to sing. She sang in church some when I was growing up and always had a natural ability to sing harmony. I learned a lot through listening to her and joining in on the old hymns in church. Once I started playing mandolin and getting into bluegrass I was discovering all of this great music each week. Alison Krauss became my biggest hero and kind of set a gold standard for me and the kind of music I wanted to make. Dolly Parton is right up there for me as well. But even male voices like Tony Rice, Larry Sparks, Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson, Quicksilver, and so many others made me love vocal music and want to sing.
I had never taken any vocal lessons until I went to Berklee College of Music and was lucky enough to take a handful one semester there. I later took a few lessons with an amazing vocal coach here in Nashville named Ron Browning. I absolutely loved it! I always walked away amazed at what he was able to pull out of me. I remember crying one time in the middle of a lesson because it’s such a vulnerable thing to sing two feet in front of someone and truly try and bare your soul in that way. All my favorite singers know how to do that and it’s something I long to get better at. This question reminds me that I should make time and go take some more lessons!
Live For Live Music: The mandolin has multiple functions in bluegrass. You’re part of the rhythm section as well as a melodic focal point, depending on the situation. Does it take any mental gymnastics to merge the two purposes and do you have a preference for the roles or is it all just “playing my mandolin” to you?
Sierra Hull: I would say it’s kinda more “just playing mandolin” to me in most cases, but of course there are situations where one has to really think about what the role is for a particular collaboration. Bluegrass for example is such a natural home for what the instrument does best and also what I grew up doing. It almost feels like riding a bike in that way where I just play and don’t think at all about the role. But when I find myself in situations where the instrumentation is more unique or where there are drums or other super percussive instruments, it can totally change the approach. More than anything I believe it’s about keeping your ears open and allowing yourself the flexibility to lean into whatever the music is calling for in that moment.
Live For Live Music: Is there any long-term goal or underlying message in your overall creative output? Are you mining for a specific goal or just seeing what’s inside of you?
Sierra Hull: I honestly think my biggest goal is to have a career that can span over the entire course of my life. I think the only way to do that is to continue to make honest music. That looks different for everyone. I can’t tell you what that will mean for me five years from now, let alone 20, but I hope that it’s something that I can continue to do. I think finding beauty in the chase is part of it. Finding new things to be curious about and new ways to still have that childlike experience with music is really what fuels me.
Live For Live Music You’re part of what is, historically, a hyper-competitive Nashville music culture. Do you have the mind to say, musically and personally, “We’re all in this together”?
Sierra Hull: I love music itself, but I stay for the incredible community and friendships that I’ve built throughout my career and the people who continue to inspire me on a regular basis. I can make music just for myself quietly in my own living room, but I deeply desire to be able to share musical experiences with other people whether it’s the musicians I’m on stage or in the studio with or people who are in the audience or listening to my recorded music. I am competitive with my own self to want to grow and do all the things that I dream of. That’s where my biggest push comes from—the internal need and desire to grow and not become complacent. I don’t do well with sitting around twiddling my thumbs.
Live For Live Music: A bonus by-product of being in the Nashville scene is the side players available to you. How does it feel having so many accomplished players ready and surely eager to play alongside you?
Sierra Hull: Nashville is an amazing place to call home. I’m probably biased because I grew up a couple hours away in my little hometown of Byrdstown, so Tennessee will forever be home to me. I’m lucky that I can live somewhere where I can call up any number of musicians to write or record with any day of the week and have something magical happen. I know it’s something not to take for granted.
Live For Live Music: You, like Billy Strings, are part of the new vanguard of the bluegrass “scene.” While humility might prevent you from thinking of yourself in such a manner, are you aware of the impact you’re having and at all thinking about advancing the growth of the sound and songbook itself?
Sierra Hull: Thank you! I think when you are in the middle of building a career, it’s hard to even really know or understand how others may view you and the music you are making. If I can help share this music that I’ve loved my entire life with a larger audience over the course of my life, then I’ll feel like I’ve done what I set out to do. What a blessing it is to even get to do this for a living at all, let alone to imagine having an impact on someone’s life in some way big or small through doing it.
Live For Live Music: You’re both an in-demand sit-in guest—including recent appearances with The String Cheese Incident and Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s Billy & The Kids—and an avid inviter of folks like Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) and more to your stage. Is this more fueled by any one part of your sound, i.e. do you want to play with some specific artist or do you feel an affinity for their songbook in general, such as, say, the Grateful Dead or Cheese?
Sierra Hull: Of course sometimes I get really excited when I get a particular invite to collaborate especially if it’s an artist that I already know and love. But so often I get invites to do unexpected things that I wouldn’t have imagined that I’d get called for and those tend to be some of the most exciting! Those moments always feel like an opportunity to learn and grow in a way that wasn’t even in the cards for me and I’m truly grateful when those moments come.
Live For Live Music: Speaking of sit-ins, do you ever look at the lineups of festivals who are trying to book you or that you might consider playing and think about possible sit-ins? Or even pick a fest to play at just to see bands you love? For example, you’re playing the upcoming Annapolis Baygrass Festival and it has folks like Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush, The Lil Smokies, and even another chance to get your Grateful Dead energy out with Dead & Company’s Oteil Burbridge on tap. Does that make you think of joining in the fun or even just heading out to the crowd to join the party?
Sierra Hull: Totally! Festivals are really special because you get to be inspired by all the other great bands playing and hang with old friends and make new ones. I love getting the chance to jump up with other folks when I can. The spontaneity of the moment is always a rush. As far as folks that I invite to join my band and me, there are always moments when you look at a lineup and see friends that are a natural sit-in ask, but I also love using it as an opportunity to try something new and unexpected too!
Catch Sierra Hull on the road through November on her headlining tour. Find tickets and a full list of dates here.
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