Sierra Hull Releasing Rendition of 'Black Muddy River'

SIERRA HULL, the 2x GRAMMY-nominated and 6x International Bluegrass Music Association Award-winning artist, has announced her roots-laced rendition of “Black Muddy River” — which has been a recurring gem in her live set for years — will be released on Friday, September 27. 

Originally released in 1987 by the legendary improvisational psychedelic rock group Grateful Dead, HULL’s version doubles down on earthy sonic tapestry and bluegrass-tinged musicianship. Fans can pre-order/pre-save the song here. 

‘“Black Muddy River’ is the first song that really made me stop and truly appreciate the music of the Grateful Dead,” shares HULL. “There are so many Dead songs that folks cover and you kind of come to know a lot of them without even trying to some degree, but this beautiful song really made me pause and want to learn and sing it myself. It then led me to listen to the studio albums and explore and appreciate their music on a whole new level. ‘Black Muddy River’ has been one of my favorite songs to sing live for the past couple years and I’m so happy to have our own version recorded now.”

The eclectic artist released another re-creation last month (8/23), new wave group Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” The release marked HULL’s first new release in four years. She had previously performed “Mad World” live for a Paste Session in 2022 which quickly took a viral spin, garnering over 2 million views. Considering the high demand for her rendition of the iconic song, HULL was inspired to go into the studio and put her unique musical fingerprint on it, which is streaming across all DSPs now.

SIERRA HULL is touring heavily throughout the remainder of the year with headline shows and festival appearances across the United States. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

ABOUT SIERRA HULL:

SIERRA HULL is widely regarded to be a master of her instrument; A two-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter, recognized for both her most recent projects, 25 Trips (2020) and Weighted Mind (2016), she is also the 6x recipient of IBMA’s “Mandolin Player of the Year,” the first woman to ever receive this distinction. A pioneer for acoustic music throughout her already impressive multi-decade career, she has graced the country's most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and the White House. Her virtuosic abilities have garnered respect from genre-defining trailblazers, friends, and collaborators such as Alison Krauss, Sturgill Simpson, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Béla Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, and Brandi Carlile. Originally hailing from Byrdstown, Tennessee, her unique sound is rooted in bluegrass, and she is widely considered one of acoustic music’s most inventive artists.

Photo credit: Sam Wiseman