Sierra Ferrell

Nashville-based musician Sierra Ferrell showcases her winsomely nimble, bluesy voice on a spirited, idiosyncratic blend of country, jazz, folk, and blues. After living as a nomadic touring musician for years, she put down roots in Nashville and recorded her solo debut. Featuring guest spots by the likes of Sarah Jarosz and Jerry Douglas, Long Time Coming saw release in 2021. She quickly became an in-demand featured vocalist herself, appearing on albums by the Black Keys, Old Crow Medicine Show, Shakey Graves, and others while releasing solo material like the galloping 2023 single “Fox Hunt,” a highlight from her second long-player, 2024′s Trail of Flowers. A native of small-town West Virginia, Ferrell left home to tour with a group of transient musicians throughout her twenties, setting up temporary bases in places like Seattle and New Orleans between shows at truck stops, on boxcars, and busking in city centers before settling in Nashville. Rounder Records then signed her based on her live sets. Produced by Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch) and Stu Hibberd (A Man Called Stu), her first album featured appearances by fans made along the way including Sarah Jarosz, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien, and Billy Strings. Titled Long Time Coming, the debut arrived in August 2021. Ferrell contributed backing vocals to 2022 releases by Melissa Carper, Early James, and the Black Keys, and the demand continued into 2023 with featured spots on Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 2: Swamp Savant as well as LPs by Old Crow Medicine Show and Shakey Graves. Before the end of the year, Ferrell became a Hot 100-charting artist with a guest appearance on the Zach Bryan Top 40 hit “Holy Roller,” and she landed on the Billboard country side charts with her own “Fox Hunt.” The latter song was included on her second album, March 2024′s Trail of Flowers. Produced by Paczosa and Eddie Spear (Zach Bryan, Brandi Carlile), its guests included Lukas Nelson, Nikki Lane, and Chris Scruggs. Ferrell’s touring schedule that year included a sold-out headlining show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and opening slots for the Avett Brothers and Zach Bryan. ~ Marcy Donelson