Artist Bios
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
It is rare that a young musician will take that spark of
wonder that first inspired them to cradle an instrument and
cultivate it to the point of full-blown virtuosity. Rarer still
is for that virtuosity to emerge as just one facet of a
well-rounded musical intelligence. Only sixteen years old as of
this writing, Sierra Hull displays instrumental facility and
musical maturity well beyond her age with Secrets, her national
debut album. Hull began playing mandolin at age eight, and
quickly became noted on the national festival scene for her
fluid, inventive picking – winning several mandolin and guitar
championships in the process.
While there is no shortage of hot picking on Secrets, what is
more astonishing is Hull’s overall musicianship: she never
overplays, never overwhelms the emotion at the core of the song,
and is committed to a creating a band sound greater than the sum
of its parts. Hull has developed into an exquisite vocalist
since first starting to sing publicly two years ago, as amply
demonstrated by the largely vocal-driven material that composes
Secrets. Working closely with co-producer Ron Block (Alison
Krauss and Union Station), Sierra’s vocal performances are
disarmingly tender and eloquent, yet delivered with the
confidence and honesty necessary to cut through a top-notch
bluegrass ensemble. Among the musicians and vocalists joining
her on Secrets are Block, Barry Bales, Dennis Crouch, Jerry
Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Clay Hess, Rob Ickes, Chris Jones, Jason
Moore, Tony Rice, Dan Tyminski, Jim VanCleve, and the remarkably
hard-driving seventeen-year-old banjo phenom Cory Walker, who
has already played alongside Sierra for several years.
Articulate and engaging on-stage and off, Hull has already
emerged as a leading light in a new generation of bluegrass
musicians. She was a featured performer on the Great High
Mountain Tour, which included an all-star bluegrass lineup
performing songs from the soundtracks of the hit movies O
Brother Where Art Thou and Cold Mountain. A seasoned performer,
she has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry radio and television
shows, and shared the stage with bluegrass legends such as
Alison Krauss, IIIrd Tyme Out, Sam Bush, Mountain Heart and
Ricky Skaggs. Her talent and charisma never fails to awe even
the most seasoned veterans. “It’s amazing to listen to her
precision and agility, and the potential for musical growth is
tremendous,” Bush raves in the liner notes to Secrets. “I can’t
wait to hear what Sierra comes up with next.”
Secrets (to be released on May 6 on Rounder Records) promises
to spread word of her formidable talents throughout the
bluegrass community and beyond. Though she self-released an
enchanting instrumental CD, Angel Mountain, in 2002, Secrets
reflects a staggering amount of growth over the six years that
separate the two projects. “What I’ve seen in Sierra over the
months of working on Secrets is a passion for music in general –
and specifically for bluegrass,” reflects Secrets co-producer
Ron Block. “She has an intense desire for excellence, a love of
good songs, and an attention to detail that is not often found
in someone so young…she’s only going to get better and better as
time goes on. It’ll be intriguing to watch how her vision and
creativity affect the future of bluegrass in the coming years.”
Despite the praise and acclaim that swirls around her, Sierra
Hull remains humble, down to earth, and gracious. It is this
good nature that has already endeared her to so many and
continues to charm and impress all who come into contact with
her. “Sierra is a remarkably talented, beautiful human being,”
says Alison Krauss. “Success could not come to a more worthy
person. I adore her.”
Visit Sierra Hull's website at:
www.sierrahull.com
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