Sierra Hull
| Sierra Hull | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | September 27, 1991 |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, mandolin, guitar |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Rounder |
| Associated acts | Alison Krauss, Barry Bales, Ron Block, Chris Thile |
| Website | Sierra Hull discography at MusicBrainz |
Sierra Dawn Hull[1] (born September 27, 1991) is an American bluegrass singer, mandolinist and guitarist.
Hull was signed to Rounder Records at the age of 13[2] and released her debut vocal album, Secrets, in 2008 at the age of 16. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums chart.[3] Her second album, Daybreak, was released on March 8, 2011.[4]
Biography
Sierra Hull was born and raised in Byrdstown, Tennessee and attended Pickett County High School before accepting a Presidential Scholarship[5] to study at the Berklee College of Music.
Hull began playing the mandolin at the age of eight and put out the album Angel Mountain at 10. Hull was soon playing jam sessions with other musicians in her family, and by 2001 she was entering local talent contests. Her parents, Stacy and Brenda, took her to numerous bluegrass festivals and it was during an International Bluegrass Music Association festival that she came to the attention of Rounder Records chief talent scout Ken Irwin.[6] At age 11 she was mentored and befriended by Alison Krauss, herself once a child prodigy on the fiddle.[7] Hull and Krauss, along with Dan Tyminski, performed at the White House on November 21, 2011.[8]
She has a brother, Cody, and is a distant cousin of former United States Secretary of State Cordell Hull.[9] Hull has already received five International Bluegrass Music Association nominations in the past three years.
Hull received the Bluegrass Star Award, presented by the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, on Oct. 19, 2013. The award is bestowed upon bluegrass artists who do an exemplary job of advancing traditional bluegrass music and bringing it to new audiences while preserving its character and heritage.[10]
Touring
Hull performed with the band Highway 111 at the Gettysburg Bluegrass festival in 2005. She continues to tour, even while she attended Berklee College of Music.[11]
Recordings
Secrets
Hull's vocal debut album on Rounder Records, released in May 2008, was co-produced by Alison Krauss and Ron Block which follows a self-released CD Angel Mountain, in 2002. The production by Hull and Ron Block paid tribute and honored the tradition and style of bluegrass music. The album contained 3 original songs penned by Hull. She was just 15 when she recorded the album and released at 16.
Daybreak
On her 2011 second release on Rounder Records, the 20-year-old has composed seven of the 12 songs and it was produced by Alison Krauss & Union Station bassist Barry Bales. The album features collaborations with Bryan Sutton on guitar and Randy Kohrs on dobro. Guest singers include Dan Tyminski, Shawn Lane and Ronnie Bowman.
Features
Hull was a guest vocalist with lead singer James Adkins on the male-female duet "Love Song,"[12] featured on the 2015 self-titled album from Americana group, Big Virginia Sky.
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Grass [13] |
US Heat [14] | ||
| Angel Mountain |
|
— | — |
| Secrets |
|
2 | — |
| Daybreak |
|
5 | — |
| Weighted Mind |
|
1 | 5 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Other singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Hullarious" | Sierra Hull | An American Tradition |
| 2008 | "Just As I Am" | Sierra Hull | Billy: The Early Years |
| 2010 | "Gospel Plow" | The Lovell Sisters, Bearfoot, Sierra Hull & The New Generation Jam | MerleFest Live |
| "Big Sciota" | |||
| 2011 | "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" | Sixties Invasion featuring Sierra Hull | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Easy Come, Easy Go"[15] | David McClister |
| "Someone Like You"[16] | Brad Paul | |
| "Chasin' Skies"[17] | ||
| "Tell Me Tomorrow"[18] | ||
| "Daybreak"[19] | David McClister |
References
- ↑ Ledgin, Stephanie (2004). Homegrown Music: Discovering Bluegrass. Praeger. p. 116. ISBN 978-0275981150.
- ↑ Steve Leggett, "Sierra Hull Biography", Billboard.com, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ Secrets - Billboard.com, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ Caramanica, Jon (March 9, 2011), "Music Review – New York Times", The New York Times, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ Berklee Media Relations, "2009–2010 Presidential Scholars", Berklee College of Music website, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ Edward Morris, "Teen Sierra Hull Is Turning Heads", CMT.com, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ Steve Leggett, "Sierra Hull," Allmusic. Retrieved: March 1, 2013.
- ↑ John Lawless, "Sierra Hull, reporting from the White House," Bluegrass Today, November 30, 2011.
- ↑ David McGee, "The Latest Gifted Hull", The Bluegrass Special, retrieved 2011-03-15
- ↑ "Bluegrass Heritage Foundation official website". 2010. Retrieved 2015-12-28.
- ↑ "Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, Strings, newsletter of the Pineridge Bluegrass Folklore Society, October 2005
- ↑ "Big Virginia Sky releases debut, self-titled album!". Big Virginia Sky. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
- ↑ "Sierra Hull Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com". Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ↑ "Sierra Hull Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com". Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Sierra Hull: Easy Come, Easy Go". Country Music Television. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Sierra Hull: Someone Like You". Country Music Television. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Sierra Hull: Chasin' Skies". Country Music Television. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Sierra Hull: Tell Me Tomorrow". Country Music Television. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Sierra Hull: Daybreak". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
External links
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