Thirty-four-year-old Sierra Hull has long been recognized as one of the most technically gifted mandolin players of her generation. Born and raised in Tennessee, the musician signed her first record deal at 13, released a debut album that reached number two on the Billboard Bluegrass chart before she finished high school, and earned a Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music. These are rare achievements for any young musician, let alone one working within the traditionally conservative world of bluegrass.
Hull is a six-time International Bluegrass Music Association Mandolin Player of the Year winner, the first woman ever to receive the award. Her official album discography consists of five studio albums, spanning from her teenage debut (Secrets, 2008) on Rounder Records to her fully independent 2025 release, A Tip Toe High Wire. Her new record is currently up for two Grammy Awards, for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance.
Hull’s artistic evolution from a child instrumental prodigy to a more expansive role as a songwriter and bandleader has been accompanied by the vast changes in the world itself. “When I put out my first record, I didn’t think about the internet,” Hull said in a sweet and low Southern voice. “It existed, but my family didn’t have a computer. We couldn’t afford one. I bought one later for the family out of my earnings from playing shows and selling records as a teenager.” Hull speaks in measured tones with a slight lilt, as if she is asking if one wants more sugar in one’s iced tea.
“As time went on, I got a web page and a MySpace account, but technological changes were never part of my focus,” Hull said. She attributes her creative growth to two other factors: the other musicians she has played with and just maturing as a human being. Hull named a plethora of important artists who have taught and influenced her (a small sample would include Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Del McCoury, Marty Stuart, and Molly Tuttle), and with whom she recently performed at Del McCoury’s Pickin’ Party in Arizona, billed as four days of “picking, playing, singing, and celebrating.”
“I’ve known many of these artists since I was a kid,” Hull said. “They provided me with a foundation and a sense of confidence. I still get nervous before I perform, but I also experience a calmness.” She joked that at the Arizona gig, she knew she wasn’t the most talented person in the room and that made it easier for her to let loose and perform.
When Hull plays at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on February 12, she will be accompanied by the band that plays on her current record: Shaun Richardson, guitar; Erik Coveney, bass; Avery Merritt, fiddle; and Mark Raudabaugh, drums. Because of the costs involved, many artists record with one set of musicians and tour with another. Hull is a strong believer in paying her musicians well and keeping the band together as much as possible. She noted that there are all sorts of financial choices she must make as a bandleader, from the cost of lighting and equipment to food and travel expenses. Her priority is to pay her artists what she can afford (“I’d pay them five times as much if I could, as they deserve it!”) and to cut back on other expenses.
The same mindset was true when making A Tip Toe High Wire. Hull’s previous album efforts were all generated by her record label, which made the final choices, including the financial ones. Her new album is a completely independent effort with Hull large and in charge. She hired the individuals and made the decisions about everything, from song selection to cover art. It took five years from her last record to this one, but she was always busy, whether it was performing, writing, or just experiencing life.
Hull comes from a small town (Byrds-town, population 798 at the 2020 census) and presumes she’s related to the Nobel Peace Prize-winning former Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who is from the same part of the Volunteer State. And while she expressed concerns about the political divisions in this country, she is hesitant to comment. “I know it’s important to speak up and not stay silent when things are wrong, but I’m no Cordell. I am no expert on the issues,” she said.
Hull performed at the Englert Theatre in November 2024 with Cousin Curtiss (Curtiss O’Rorke Stedman). This time she is sharing the bill with the Milk Carton Kids, an American indie-folk duo known for their tight harmonies, acoustic guitar work, and sense of humor. The two acts will be alternating who goes on first and who goes on second at various stops on the tour. For the Englert concert on February 12, the Milk Carton Kids will open the show.