Sierra Hull

Former child prodigy who started playing mandolin at the age of eight, self-released her first album at ten, played on the Grand Ole Opry stage at eleven and was signed to Rounder Records at 13, Sierra Hull followed in the footsteps of her hero Alison Krauss to become one of the brightest new stars in bluegrass.

Born in the small Tennessee town of Byrdstown, she grew up playing jam sessions with other members of her musical family who took her to numerous bluegrass festivals. She won several local talent competitions and became the first bluegrass musician to win a Presidential scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. It was while she was appearing at the International Bluegrass Music Association Festival that she was spotted by Rounder Records talent scout Ken Irwin and was mentored by bluegrass fiddle star Alison Krauss and subsequently appeared with Krauss and multi-instrumentalist Dan Tyminski at the White House. She was soon acclaimed as an exceptionally talented mandolin player with a powerfully distinctive vocal style.

Krauss and Ron Block co-produced her first Rounder album 'Secrets' in 2008, which was aligned closely to classic bluegrass tradition and she gained even greater acclaim from the follow-up 'Daybreak' three years later, including seven original songs by Hull. Produced by legendary banjo player Bela Fleck, her next album 'Weighted Mind' was a radical departure from her previous work. It was a mature, boldly spare, stripped-down affair, exploring more adult issues and stretching well beyond the established parameters of bluegrass, described by critics as a 'coming of age' album. She was accompanied by bass player Ethan Jodziewicz, with additional vocal contributions from Alison Krauss, Abigail Washburn and Rhiannon Giddens. It instantly raised her profile and put her in the same bracket as some of the most revered figures in bluegrass.