← Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
"Sierra Hull-Bluegrass Prodigy to Grammy Nominated Mandolin Master-Iconic Musician Takin A Walk Replay"
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- [00:00]
Sierra Hull
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Buzz Knight
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- [00:32]
Sierra Hull
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- [01:11]
Buzz Knight
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- [01:41]
Sierra Hull
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- [02:47]
Buzz Knight
Welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast hosted By Buzz Knight. Buzz speaks with musicians of all genres about their music, their creative process, and their artistic freedom on this episode with Sierra Hull. A true prodigy of bluegrass and a virtuoso mandolin player who's been captivating audiences since her childhood, Cierra Hall's musical journey is nothing short of remarkable. From her grand Old opry debut at 10 to performing at elite venues like the White House, Kennedy center, and Carnegie Hall, Sierra has consistently pushed the boundaries of bluegrass music. Here's Buzz with Sierra Hull on taking a walk.
- [03:30]
Interviewer
Sierra Hull, thanks for being on taking a walk.
- [03:34]
Sierra Hull
Thanks for having me. How you doing?
- [03:36]
Interviewer
I'm doing excellent. I'm talking to you, so I couldn't be any better. What are some of your favorite places to take a walk around Nashville?
- [03:44]
Sierra Hull
Oh, man, we're lucky in the neighborhood that we live just kind of east of of downtown, where we've got lots of nice sidewalks and connecting neighborhoods and it's really quiet out in this part of town. Where I live, I'm in the hermitage area, and so, you know, this time of year, especially all the leaves changing and we have tons of deer. So I grew up in the country as a. A kid, and I mean, lots of open fields and woods to play in, but no sidewalks because we didn' have neighbors within an earshot. So. So very different kind of thing. But it. It's. It's sort of a nice hybrid of those things, I would say, where it's nice and quiet out here where we live, but, you know, we've got lots of friendly folks in the neighborhood out enjoying the weather this time of year, and. And I love it. Plus, Nashville, honestly is. Is a beautiful part of, you know, the world to be able to have, like, greenways because it's like you're here in the city, but at least you've got, like, actually quite a public walking trails and things like that all throughout the city, which is really nice.
- [04:53]
Interviewer
And do you use walking at a point in time maybe where you're looking for a creative breakthrough? Maybe you're jammed up at that moment and you just got to get some air and take a walk?
- [05:05]
Sierra Hull
Oh, yeah, all the time. All the time. Yeah. Actually, it's funny, the last few days here in Nashville, it's just been really gloomy and rainy, and I just got off of another interview before talking to you, and I was out on my back porch just, like, enjoying the weather. And so I will definitely be getting a walk or a run in today just because finally the weather's nice again. And, you know, it gets Dark so early this time of year that. That's. That's rough for me if I can't squeeze in time to be outside for just a little bit and get like either a walk, long walk or a jog. And, you know, I start. I start feeling it within a few days of that, where I'm like, oh, I'm antsy to get out there.
- [05:47]
Interviewer
So I got it. Yep. So olden in the way, the supergroup and the album led by Jerry Garcia was a breakthrough moment, I believe, for the genre of bluegrass. And your work, along with a host of others, is part of a, in my opinion, a new breakthrough moment. Can you highlight some of that community and who has been along for the ride with you leading the charge?
- [06:16]
Sierra Hull
Oh, gosh. Well, thanks for saying that. Yeah, I mean, I think because I'm, you know, just young enough that I didn't get to ever meet Bill Monroe, for example, you know, who we. We call the father of bluegrass music and the guy that kind of really started what we think of as bluegrass and along with like Earl Scruggs in the band Flat Scruggs and that kind of those first generation bluegrassers. But, you know, between Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs, they were like, you know, creating and. And sharing, you know, popularizing this. This new thing and, you know, the bluegrass community, which I feel so lucky to have grown up as is at this point. We think of it as this thing that's so rich in tradition, like all the. The songs, the catalog also, like, you know, we. We think of that sort of first generation music is. It's kind of sacred to us in a lot of ways where, you know, everybody wants to honor that as much as possible. But when you think about, you know, Bill Monroe himself, has there even been anybody, you know, with a mandolin in their hands that's been as much of an innovator as that, you know, in the beginning of that. So, like, when I think of the people, whether it's, you know, David Grisman you mentioned olden in the way, whether it's Sam Bush, whether it's Chris Thale, other, you know, people that have come way before me that have already been making, you know, their own waves by using the instrument in a lot of different, cool, unique ways. Of course, people of my generation, I think, would come to the music into the mandolin with sort of like the. The green light to kind of just explore and do whatever we want to do with it, you know, because we've already seen so many examples of our heroes who have done that, you know, and not just with the mandolin. I mean, I've worked a lot with Bayla Fleck over the last few years. I can't think of anybody, you know, maybe besides Earl Scruggs himself, that's, you know, found new creative things to do on the instrument. So, you know, when talking about, say, the banjo and there's always, you know, those pioneers that kind of come before us, that. That lead the way in. In those ways. And then I think as someone who feels inspired by that, you know, just trying to figure out what that means to me personally in ways that I can, you know, take the instrument and the music I love and be inspired by that, to just feel. Not that I need to change something or feel the pressure to create something new and exciting, but. But just to kind of go, what do I want to sound like if I'm not worried about having to fit into a box? You know, as much as I love and. And am grateful to have strong roots in a form of music that really honors the tradition of the music, if that makes sense.
- [09:14]
Interviewer
It totally does. Who would be your bluegrass super group if you ever formed one? Who would be with you along for that?
- [09:24]
Sierra Hull
Oh, gosh. Does it have to be living members?
- [09:28]
Interviewer
Not necessarily, but dream as much as you want with it living or. Or dead.
- [09:36]
Sierra Hull
It would be really hard. That. That's such a hard. Hard thing to. To say, because I probably wouldn't even be in it. I just put my own heroes in there, you know, figuring out the super. I mean, you know, it's like one of the first people that comes to mind. You know, I don't know if I could just say every. Every instrument, because I could. I could create 10 different super groups I'd be excited to. To play in, you know, but, you know, somebody like Tony Bryce was one of my biggest heroes as a. A youngster, I think one of the first, you know, bluegrass artists that. That really came onto my radar when I was a young. I. I'm trying to think I might have even heard the album Church street blues before I actually played the mandolin. But it was. It was somewhere around that time when I was first starting to get into music. My dad brought home the. The cassette tape of. Of Tony Rice, Church Street Blues, and that's just him with a guitar and singing on the record, so not even like a bluegrass record, per se, But I just fell in love with it. So Tony's always at the top of that super group hero club for me. You know, Allison Krauss has been one of my biggest heroes, so probably have to put her in there. Of course, they've done some touring together anyway, and I know Tony was one of her biggest heroes. Yeah, it'd be impossible. It'd be impossible for me to choose.
- [10:54]
Interviewer
Well, that's why I asked it.
- [10:56]
Sierra Hull
But those. Those two come to mind just as being, like, two of my biggest heroes as a youngster, you know, we'll come.
- [11:01]
Interviewer
Back to some of that. Well, congrats on the amazing rendition of Black Muddy river, which, you know, I know you've done that for. For a long time as part of your set. How did you first discover that, though?
- [11:16]
Sierra Hull
I really came to the music of the Grateful Dead a little bit later than one might imagine. Like, I knew about Olden in the way you mentioned that, and Jerry Garcia been being part of that band. But to me, I knew way less about him than I knew about David Grisman, you know what I mean? Or Vassar Clemons or, you know, some of the other just people in that circle, that time frame. I knew that, you know, the. The pizza tapes, you know, that Tony Rice was part of. And. And that's kind of how I first heard the name Jerry Garcia. But. And people would say, talk about the Grateful Dead, obviously, like, you hear. You hear that band name, like, your whole life, just because it gets mentioned. And now, as somebody that knows their music more, I mean, I was just in a store in Nashville a couple days ago, shopping, shopping for an event, looking for an outfit, and. And all of a sudden, you know, they come on the radio. So it's like, you know, it's like all the things that it's probably always been around, but I didn't really know the music of the Grateful Dead in the same way that, like, you know, super fans would for sure, or. Or wouldn't have recognized it as such. But then it was maybe, like, eight years ago. Eight or nine years ago, I got to do a thing with the Everyone Orchestra, which is. Are you familiar with that project?
- [12:40]
Buzz Knight
I am not.
- [12:41]
Sierra Hull
So it's this guy Matt, who runs this show, and he essentially serves as, like, a conductor. Like, he'll put on a hat and, like this, you know, kind of fun outfit, and he'll have, like, a whiteboard. And it's a fully improvised show where the audience participates and the musicians on stage. He always gets different people from different bands, and sometimes it might just be a special set at a festival pulling people from different bands that are playing, and he'll just like, write a key, a musical key, on. On the fretboard, like E. And he Might just point at one band member, and that band member just starts riffing on something, and then he'll. He'll conduct somebody else to be like, now you start playing with this person, or. Or it might just be like, slow tempo or waltz or just like, some kind of very vague instruction. And then he might write, like, a couple lyrics on the whiteboard, and the audience starts singing the lyrics. It's like, it's cool. It's a really fun participatory kind of thing. I. I did this set with these guys, and I. I was. I was looking forward to doing that because I thought, well, this will be fun, you know, to get to be part of the show. And they said, okay. So for set two, or it was like, maybe a second night. I can't even remember now. They're like, we wanted. We're going to do a Grateful Dead tribute set and do some of that. And they said, will you sing a couple, like, two or three songs? Pick out a few songs to sing? So I thought, okay, I mean, I'm going to be on the show. I. I'll dig in. And honestly, I had never really done, like, a real deep dive, you know. Again, you hear the music of the Grateful Dead by other people covering the songs, little pieces that I was familiar with but didn't really know their music too much. And. And then I started listening to some of the records, kind of thinking about what I might sing on this show. And, I mean, I came into it being like, I could sing anything. I don't know if it'll be a deep cut or a popular track, because I almost didn't know the difference, you know, I just, like, I was coming to it brand new in some ways, like, maybe knew a so or two, but not that much, to be honest. And I stumbled upon Black Muddy river, which now, you know, everybody's like, oh, that's more of a deep cut or whatever. But it was one of the first, like, the studio recording that I heard. I just. I just really liked the song, and I could imagine myself wanting to sing that. So it was one of the few songs that I picked out to sing that night.
- [15:01]
Interviewer
It's wonderful. It really is. Which brings me to the topic of improvisation, which you are amazing at, and it's such a, you know, a gift. And I want to ask you where it sort of comes from. I was watching you recently, a performance you did, I think it was Annapolis, possibly, at a festival, where there was a problem with some equipment that was being fixed. And then you and the band just Took off and improvised to kill time. It was so fascinating. It really was. It was mesmerizing, actually.
- [15:44]
Sierra Hull
Oh, lord. You do what you gotta do. Right?
- [15:48]
Interviewer
Right. So where did you get this incredible gift of improvisation?
- [15:53]
Sierra Hull
Well, thank you for saying that. You know, it's one of the great things about growing up in the bluegrass world. You know, I mentioned earlier that there is just this deep love of the tradition and the songs and catalog that kind of come with that. And certainly there's, you know, a set way people do certain things, but honestly, there's this real spirit of improvisation and. And it's. If you're ever going to really become great at playing bluegrass, that's part of the skill set that you learn and you. You work on. And, you know, so much of it is built upon what we call fiddle tunes. So, like the instrumental tunes that when I was a kid, I started learning on my instrument right away. Growing up in this world, you know, it's like that was a big part of the catalog I was learning. The same way a classical musician might start to learn Bach pieces. You know, it's the same. Same kind of thing where you're learning, you know, all these different. What we call fiddle tunes, whether they're played on the mandolin or guitar or whatever, just that's kind of the slang term fiddle tune. And I was. I was learning, you know, all these tunes that if somebody else that grew up on the other side of the country that grew up playing bluegrass, they're probably learning the same tunes. They're just the tunes. When you go to a jam session and you sit in a circle, somebody might call a tune like Salt creek, you know, and you go, sure, I learned Salt Creek. Let's play it. You know, now you might play it slightly different than how this person plays it. It's going to be close, but there's going to be. Depending on who you learned it from or what version you learned, it's different in that, like, you know, a Bach partita is written out. And as a classical musician, you might, you know, grow up learning to play these pieces, and you're. You're reading them as they're written note for note. Bluegrass isn't so much like that. It's like there's, you know, a core melody and a core recognizable thing, but you might play a slightly different tag ending than somebody else does. And then once you learn your version, you might learn somebody else's version or. Or play it with somebody else that they add it. It. They add a little spin to it just in the Most subtle ways. So you start kind of almost learning the idea and the concept of improvisation immediately, whether you're doing it or not, you're learning variations of certain things, and then those variations start teaching you more about the instrument and, and how things are laid out on the instrument, how you can access, you know, the same idea in three or four different ways. The same way as, you know, if, like I told you, I just finished another interview before hopping on here with you, if that person had asked me the same question, I might give a similar answer, but I'm not going to, like, be exactly the same, right? But I might tell the story the same way. And. And it's very much like speaking in that way that you just start to understand how to, like, tell a similar story, even in these subtle ways. And so bluegrass, it's kind of just ingrained. You start to. To learn how to speak the language of the music using your instrument mostly over the same kind of harmonic structures again and again. You know, mostly simple kind of folk song form melodies, you know, you know, three, four chords. Not, not. Not anything crazy outside the box in terms of harmony. But there is a certain kind of approach and a language that you can tell the difference if you grew up. Up really in it and studying that music or not, you know. And so I think it was a couple years into to playing that I remember, you know, starting to try to attempt to improvise for the first time. And, and that was because I think I was at a jam and somebody played a song I didn't know, and they said, take a solo. And, you know, and I'm like, ah, what do you do? You know, but you just kind of jump off the deep end and, and try to take the knowledge of the. These tunes and songs and things that you've already been learning and, and, you know, trying to relate them to the. The unknown of the thing you've not heard before, if that makes sense. So, yes, so it's cultivated at a young age, and I was really lucky to have that kind of built into my early years of, you know, thinking, this is just part of it. This is just part of how you learn the music and being in a safe place where you're sitting in a circle and nobody cares if you're gonna mess up a little bit, you know, and maybe I had the gift of being young on my side too. Whereas, like, it'd be harder to be that vulnerable as an adult because you feel like, well, I don't want somebody. I don't want to, you know, Sound bad and have to put all these other musicians through, having to hear me sound like that, you know, if I was, I don't know that I would go running up to a. A jam with a saxophone since I've never played, you know what I mean, at this point in my life. So I do think the gift of being young helps that too, where everybody's like, oh, look, that little girl trying to play this tune. It was safe and encouraged, which is awesome. But I think most people in the music community support each other in that way, regardless of age, and it's a very beautiful circle to kind of grow up in.
- [21:04]
Interviewer
So you're really bending genres. How well is the traditional bluegrass world? The fans, the labels, the festivals going along for the. The ride? Have there been both challenges and rewards from bending genres like you are?
- [21:26]
Sierra Hull
I think there's always going to be noise, if that makes sense, Good noise and bad noise, so to speak. And I think that you kind of can't get too wrapped up in it one way or another, you know, because I think for me, I, you know, I kind of. I know I keep going back to this idea of being rooted in a community, but I do think another blessing of being so, you know, such a part of a community in terms of genre. And I know bluegrass can mean a lot of different things, you know, depending on who you talk to. There's a really wide umbrella for what we think of as bluegrass these days. I certainly don't consider the music that I'm making now to be traditional bluegrass in any, you know, way. I wouldn't say that even just. Just because of the instrumentation, with having drums and no banjo and that kind of thing. But it's inevitably the biggest musical part of what. Where I come from. So it's always going to be present in what I'm doing. There's no escaping that. It's. It's like a part of my musical core in a way that nothing else could be. And I think because I'm so rooted in that, and I've was lucky to get a start at a young age with the bluegrass community, I've been really blessed that I feel like the bluegrass community at large has mostly hung with me, you know, and they've. They've. I've felt supported still and. And welcomed by, you know, the community I grew up in without ever feeling like, well, now they're like, you know, you don't belong here, or something like that. I've. I know people that have felt that way before, but I feel like I've been really lucky to still have that. Maybe it's because those people know how much the music really means to me and that I still love it and honor it. Even if I choose of jump into some different waters at the same time, there's always this like love and respect that I still have for it all. So I don't feel like I've had any kind of real wild pushback. If anything, I feel like it's mostly been positive because I've been able to, you know, go into these other areas and not only play some different styles of music, but also introduce those people to the music I love. You know, I'm being introduced to something new and they're also being introduced to something new. And if, if any I could do would in turn make somebody want to go back and check out the more, you know, traditional bluegrass catalog then I love that. I think that's great. That just means more people who can come and appreciate the thing that I love in my core so much.
- [24:01]
Buzz Knight
We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk Podcast Insurance may all seem the same on the surface, but having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm as the leading auto and homeowners insurer in the US State Farm is there how and where you need them. Whether it's in person, with a local State Farm agent, on the phone, online, or through their mobile app. Don't take a chance with insurance coverage that may not meet your needs, and don't settle for insurance that may only be halfway there when you need it. Get State Farm like a good neighbor. State Farm is there Save on appliances at the Home Depot with up to $1,000 off plus up to an extra $500 off select appliances like Whirlpool. Keep up with your busy routine. The Home Depot has Whirlpool Laundry appliances with Fan Fresh. This feature fans and tumbles your laundry after it's done to help keep your clothes fresh until you're ready to grab them. Shop now and get up to $1,000 off plus free delivery on select appliances at the Home Depot. How doers get more done Free delivery on appliance purchases of $999 or more offer valid January 8th through the 28th. US only C store online for details New Year, New goals and in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt and I'm Joel. We are how to Money Podcast and every week we help you to spend smarter, save more, and make sense of what's going on out there. If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of your money. We're here to give you the tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:34]
Sierra Hull
What if mind control is real? If you could control the behavior of anybody around you, what kind of life would you have? Can you hypnotically persuade someone to buy a car?
- [25:43]
Interviewer
When you look at your car, you're.
- [25:44]
Buzz Knight
Going to become overwhelmed with such good feelings.
- [25:47]
Sierra Hull
Can you hypnotize someone into sleeping with you?
- [25:50]
Buzz Knight
I gave her some suggestions to be sexually aroused.
- [25:53]
Sierra Hull
Can you get someone to join your cult? NLP was used on me to access my subconscious. Nlp, AKA Neuro linguistic programming, is a blend of hypnosis, linguistics and psychology. Fans say it's like finally getting a.
- [26:08]
Buzz Knight
User manual for your brain about engineering consciousness.
- [26:12]
Sierra Hull
Mind Games is the story of nlp, its crazy cast of disciples and the fake doctor who invented it at a new age commune and sold it to guys in suits. He stood trial for murder and got acquitted. The biggest mind game of all, NLP might actually work. This is wild. Listen to Mind Games on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever, wherever you get your podcasts.
- [26:40]
Buzz Knight
Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.
- [26:43]
Interviewer
Since you are always pushing boundaries, is there a genre that you're like, curious about because you're so curious as well that you might tackle?
- [26:54]
Sierra Hull
I don't know that I could just like right off the bat be like, oh, I just really want to do this particular thing. It's really funny. I feel like most of the things I've wound up doing have not necessarily been because I'm like, well, suddenly I want to do this different thing. It's, it's almost been just because my path has led me there or I've gotten a phone call I didn't expect or have something, you know, an artist reach out to want to collaborate that I wouldn't have even thought knew I existed. You know what I mean? So. So I think sometimes you get introduced to things by chance and a lot of it has been that for me, you know, but. But certainly, I mean, yeah, I, I'm so musically open. It's like if, if it's good music or somebody that's doing something, you know, exciting and genuine that wants to collaborate, it's like I'm, I'm always excited by a new challenge. We're getting to do something different.
- [27:53]
Interviewer
How do you keep so level headed with the touring and studio work that you do.
- [28:01]
Sierra Hull
Oh, gosh. Well, it's nice of you to say that. It's, it's tricky sometimes more, more in terms of just like, you know, trying to stay balanced in reality and not let your emotions get the best of you sometimes because it's tricky to do the thing that you love so much as your job, you know, and there's so much that as an artist you have to like pour your emotions into you. And just because you might feel one way on one day doesn't necessarily mean that that's in reality of like that things are suddenly different than they were yesterday, good or bad. Like an opportunity can come that can just make you feel like on top of the world and you're like, wow, I can't believe I get to do this. And then you'll find things that are like terribly disappointing in being in this business too, where something doesn't go the way you want or you know, whatever. It might be a day where you're just like struggling. Maybe you have a, a day in the studio that you leave feeling like, man, we did something amazing. Or you might leave feeling like, ah, I just couldn't get it together today. Like my hands or voice aren't working the way I want them to or you know, we're human. So the, the, the struggle is still very real. The way just it is in life, I guess of riding that wave of emotions and kind of, you know, the older I get, the more I try to, to go, you know, remind myself that, okay, is anything very different today than it was yesterday, you know, and, and you know, tomorrow's a new day, good or bad. So, so like it makes me feel like the highs are not quite as high. Like when the most epic opportunity I get called to do something that I would be really excited about. I'm still excited, but I find myself being like, wow, that's really awesome. I'm, I'm, I'm thrilled that came in, you know, but also when like something very disappointing happens, I find myself more so being like, well that sucks. But you know, keep on swimming girl, because this is just the business you're in. You know what I mean? So, so the highs aren't quite as high and the lows aren't quite as low. And you know, I don't think it means that I care less than I used to. I just think it means that I'm, I'm sort of able to separate the emotions a little bit better in it to just stay more level headed than, than I used to be. You know, used to be you have a gig that felt bad and it's like, you know, can just tear you up and you'll beat yourself up about it. I mean, I'm my own worst critic, you know, or, or you have something that's just really exciting. You're just like floating for, you know, days or whatever. So. So I think the, the balance now in my, you know, adulthood is a little easier to maintain.
- [30:47]
Interviewer
So you're going to be guesting some dates with the Almond Betts Band. How do you prepare for something like.
- [30:54]
Sierra Hull
That this time around? I have no idea. I don't know what we're doing. I don't know what songs I'm gonna play with them. It's interesting. Some things you, you really have an opportunity to prepare for. And then some things, they're very, you know, thank God for the skill sets of, of improvisation and, and it kind of of, you know, a lot of the collaborations I do, whether it's jumping on stage with somebody at a festival last minute or whatever, you kind of learn to be able to quickly learn things or, or prep for things in a little bit smaller windows of time the more you do it, you know. So, yeah, something like this, I don't know. I've. I've been, I got a, A new electric mandolin I've been having some fun with. So I've just been kind of getting my little board together just in case, revamping a couple things there. That's about the most prep I've done so far, which has nothing to do with the music yet. But just, you know, thinking ahead on some of those things about, okay, how am I going to get both instruments and, you know, fly with A, B and C and that kind of pre. Planning more than the music itself. But I got to. To do a few shows with those guys last year. So we already have a few things, you know, in, in the catalog now we can pull from. So I'm sure some of that will happen again and, and make it a little easier even this time around.
- [32:12]
Interviewer
So I want to mention some other collaborators that you've worked with and just get your, you know, brief reaction to the work you did with them. First of all, Billy Strings.
- [32:24]
Sierra Hull
Yeah, Billy's a dear friend, actually. Just. Well, I've known Billy for, gosh, like, long before he. Anybody knew who he was and that it's been so awesome to kind of just watch his, you know, star just rise the way it has and, and you know, how many people have come to discover other artists through him too. You know, talking about that kind of thing, which is really cool. And so anytime we get to do something together, it's like, you know, again, something that I've got to, to do for many years now, kind of on and off with him and just did his Halloween show a couple weeks ago now and, and then this month headed out to Austin to tape a Austin City 50th anniversary thing with him here in another couple weeks. So I feel like our paths get to cross quite often these days, which is really fun.
- [33:18]
Interviewer
And then of course, you mentioned her earlier and she's been so instrumental in your career, Allison Krauss.
- [33:26]
Sierra Hull
I mean, yeah, Allison's always, she's always going to be my biggest hero. There's just. I'd be lying if I didn't say that. I think like, as a kid, I mean, I dreamed about playing with her. I drew pictures of myself on stage with her before I met her. You know, I heard her music and it kind of just hit something in me that like, I don't think had I had experienced yet as a young musician. And maybe, maybe part of that too is because as a young female musician, I didn't have, you know, as like all the, I would say 98 of the music I was listening to was men were making and you know, there was nothing wrong with that. They were great. I, I was just lucky to even be welcomed in the jam sessions. I always felt like I belonged somehow. Nobody ever made me feel like, well, you're young or you're female or whatever, and that makes you different. It's like they knew I loved it and cared about it. But like hearing Allison when I was like 9 years old and the record I heard of hers was not a bluegrass record, actually. It was called Forget about it was the first thing I heard, which, if you've not heard that record, you should check it out. It's, it's. I still love it, but, but just the level of things, the production, the love, like the quality in which she brings to her performance and, you know, and recordings just kind of blew me away. So, you know, I, I will forever be grateful that I got to meet her at such a young age and the opportunities that she gave me, you know, I, if, if I had never met her to this day, I would still, you know, be saying the same thing that she's, she's one of my all time favorites. But now knowing her and the way I do and, and you know, haven't been able to spend the time and, and learn from her the way I Have. It's just, you know, there's you. You never get over that. You know, your. Your childhood heroes, they're always going to mean that to you, I think.
- [35:23]
Interviewer
Did you share the pictures that you drew ever with her? When.
- [35:27]
Sierra Hull
Yeah, she's got one of them. She's got one of them.
- [35:30]
Interviewer
Oh, how awesome is that? My God.
- [35:34]
Sierra Hull
Yeah, that's. Well, you know, it's pretty wild. Still, one of the great blessings of my life to have gotten to know my biggest hero that way.
- [35:42]
Interviewer
I want to highlight some other work of yours, recent work, first of all, a tremendous version of Tears For Fear's Mad World. That is brilliant.
- [35:55]
Sierra Hull
Thank you. It's such a great song. I just. I've really always loved that song since I, you know, first. I don't even know when I first heard it, but when I sort of got reintroduced to it maybe 10 years ago or something like that, I, you know, certainly found myself, like, couldn't get the melody out of my head and. And just felt like it lent itself. The melody lent itself to the mandolin and after a while was like, okay, I can't get the song out of my head. I gotta learn it. And then it kind of became, especially in recent years, one of the most requested, like, covers that. That I would play live. So it finally felt like, okay. People had been asking for a long time, when are you going to record that? What album is that on? You know, we need your version of Mad World. So I just love the guys I'm touring with right now and kind of felt like a good opportunity to go in and record that and Black Muddy river to share that with people and.
- [36:49]
Interviewer
Tell me about the First Snowfall.
- [36:52]
Sierra Hull
Yeah, so the First Snowfall, actually. So we just released that, but it's actually going to be one of two that we're releasing. We have another track coming out early next month. We knew we wanted to release some kind of holiday track, and at the time we were just thinking about one. And I guess I can go ahead and say the next track is. Is going to be Country Christmas, which is a Loretta Lynn cover that is just really fun. And I. I just have always been a Loretta fan and thought that would be a fun one to do with the band. But then as I was kind of thinking about, well, I'd kind of like to record that, but what I do. And I was just listening to a bunch of stuff and I. I came upon Bing Crosby's version of the First Snowfall and I. This isn't a song I had ever heard before, but I just was like, man, What a gorgeous song. Now, his version of the song is very different than what I ended up doing with it. I kind of flipped it a little bit just to be something that I thought would work well with my band and sort of fit with the mandolin and all those kind of things. His is almost like this very slow, you know, orchestral vocal, forward version. Check it out if you haven't. But. But I loved the melody, and I loved, like, when I was a kid, I mean, that feeling of when. Especially being here in Tennessee. I mean, if it just flurries, the kids get out of school, so. So snowfall was just an exciting thing as a young kid to start to see happening. And then when we would eventually get enough that you could go out and. And break out the. The sled, my dad would even. We lived in the country and had a big field by our house, so my dad would hook the. He would hook the sled up to the four wheeler and pull my brother and I around the field in it, you know, and just those memories of. Of being out there, you know, tempting to build a snowman or being pulled on the four wheeler by my dad with my brother, and, yeah, those are just really beautiful family memories. So that song, just, like, I could picture it, you know, the storyline, it just so, you know, imaginative in that way.
- [39:02]
Interviewer
I see that tremendous acoustic guitar behind you there.
- [39:06]
Sierra Hull
Oh, yeah.
- [39:07]
Interviewer
And. And I've. I've heard you play some pretty shocking, incredible acoustic guitar. Could you ever envision doing a project specifically, you know, just. Just guitar?
- [39:23]
Sierra Hull
Yeah, maybe so. I mean, I've been so slow to make albums, to be honest. The fact that we're, like, rolling and. And actually I have a new record coming in the early part of the first quarter of next year, so this season of actually, like, putting out music and. And being more in the studio to. To put some things out is really exciting for me. And so I'm about to master the. The new record in just a few days. So we're almost done with that, which is really exciting. But, yeah, like, I think that starts getting my wheels turning about what the next thing is, you know, so. I've always loved the guitar. I mean, you know, I mentioned Ton Rice earlier as being one of my first early influences. So, like, myself and anyone else who picks up the instrument, you know, I've. I've sat down and learned my fair share of Tony Rice solos over the years, and. And as a songwriter, I've always loved the context of using the instrument, and I've played guitar on, I guess, every record I've made so far. I've played some guitar for sure. But yeah, it's. It's not something that I've gotten the works. But, you know, it's definitely crossed my mind a time or too.
- [40:36]
Interviewer
So in closing, when we're hopefully speaking again in the future and knowing how important for you continuous learning is, if, when that happens, hopefully what will you have learned from now to that point that you're still, you know, passionately craving?
- [41:00]
Sierra Hull
Well, I think that's the beauty of it, right? Like there's. There's almost no way to know what I will have learned by then. And I think that mystery is part of the excitement is like nobody really knows what's around the corner, good, bad or otherwise, you know, and part of it is the journey and the excitement of, of knowing there's an endless amount of things to discover. It's part of the thing that I think keeps me me intrigued and excited by getting to do this as my life's work is that every stage I stand on is different. Every audience I get to play to is different. Every collaboration shoot, every, every moment of playing a song. Even with my band on tour, there is a lot of that improvisation. And from night to night, like, anything can happen. And there's some nights where that might be, you might have a tricky moment and then other nights that it'll be a really magical thing that we all walk away feeling like learned something from whatever happened on the stage. And I mean, I know there's going to be other music that's released between now and the next five to 10 years that's going to also inspire me to do something different with my own music. Even as a just a music lover, the things that you learn from listening to all the great things other people are doing. So, yeah, I have no idea. And I guess that's the exciting part of it is that, you know, hopefully I will continue to learn a lot and, and be given the opportunity to continue to be in positions with, you know, great musicians. You know, they always say surround yourself by people who know more than you do. And boy, I've been lucky to be in a lot of rooms like that throughout my whole career. So hopefully that'll continue to be the case.
- [42:42]
Interviewer
Oh, thank you for the music. Thank you for the time and sharing your story. I'm so grateful that you took the time to be on Taking a walks here.
- [42:51]
Sierra Hull
Thank you, Buzz. Thanks. Thanks for having me.
- [42:54]
Buzz Knight
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. The new year brings new health goals and wealth goals. Protecting your identity is an important step. Your info is in endless places that could expose you to identity theft, leading to lost funds. Lifelock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, Lifelock's restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Resolve to make identity, health, and wealth part of your New Year's goals. With Lifelock, save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com iheart Terms apply. Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Market Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high, and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for you to get intentional and make real progress. That's right. Yeah. Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [44:14]
Sierra Hull
On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing. Hey, if they'll kill a cop and.
- [44:22]
Buzz Knight
Bury him, what are they gonna do to me?
- [44:24]
Sierra Hull
What really happened to the missing deputy? Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert. Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [44:45]
Buzz Knight
You know Roald Dahl, he thought of Willy Wonka in the bfg. But did you know he was a spy? In the new podcast, the Secret World of Roald Dahl, I'll tell you that story and much, much more.
- [44:57]
Sierra Hull
What?
- [44:58]
Buzz Knight
You probably won't believe it either.
- [44:59]
Sierra Hull
Was this before you wrote his stories. It must have been okay. I don't think that's true.
- [45:04]
Interviewer
I'm definitely you.
- [45:05]
Buzz Knight
The guy was a spy. Listen to the Secret World of Roald Dahl on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [45:14]
Sierra Hull
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [45:17]
Interviewer
Guaranteed Human.