# General Mandolin Topics > General Mandolin Discussions >  Sierra Hull on Steven Colbert

## David L

This week, Steven Colbert (A Tonight Show) had Sturgill Simpson as his musical guest. He has a new album of bluegrass versions of his songs. I wasn't very impressed with Sturgill, but his band was impressive. It included Sierra Hull on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, and Tim O'Brien on guitar, among others.

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darylcrisp, 

Mark Gunter, 

Simon DS

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## Gibcaster000

Thanks for the heads up! I hadn't seen this yet.

I've been really enjoying this album, and you are right that the band is really great. Sierra Hull's mandolin playing is wonderful (as to be expected), and I love that Tim O’Brien and Mark Howard both play guitar on it. Sierra's got a great mandolin break (as well as harmony vocals) on "Life of Sin."

As far as Sturgill himself, I think he really shines on guitar when he is singing and accompanying himself solo. He's a good rhythm player (not that you can here it over the drums on the Late Show mix), and a great electric player, but his playing on something like his NPR Tiny Desk Concert has always really stood out to me. He also got hit hard by a nasty case of COVID back in the spring. His vocals sound great on the studio recordings, but this was the first live performance I've seen. It has occurred to me that a serious respiratory illness like that can't do a singer any favors.

For anyone interested, the whole album can be heard free on Sturgill's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...NQQ_LDiBFCu4IY

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cayuga red, 

darylcrisp

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## Dave_W

Nice shirt, Tim.

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Alfons, 

bruce.b, 

ccravens, 

darylcrisp, 

Drew Egerton, 

GrooverMcTube, 

mtucker, 

Simon DS, 

Steve 2E

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## DaveGinNJ

> This week, Steven Colbert (A Tonight Show) had Sturgill Simpson as his musical guest. He has a new album of bluegrass versions of his songs. I wasn't very impressed with Sturgill, but his band was impressive. It included Sierra Hull on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, and Tim O'Brien on guitar, among others.


I thought it was good.  It sounded like Kings of Leon goes bluegrass

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Franc Homier Lieu

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## Zach Wilson

Thanks for sharing this! I really liked it  :Smile: 

And yes, nice shirt Tim 😂

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## FLATROCK HILL

> I wasn't very impressed with Sturgill, but his band was impressive.


Ditto.

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## Franc Homier Lieu

I feel like someone who knows what superheroes look like in their disguises.

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Boharm

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## Michael Romkey

Talk about a good backup band!

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## foldedpath

A mumblemouth singer who is lucky enough to catch the current spotlight, backed up by an Ace studio band. 'Twas ever thus.

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CHASAX, 

DCHammers, 

JRG

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## bradeasley

Not sure what constitutes the "current spotlight", as Sturgill has been making waves for the last 7-8 years on the edges of country music. He's part of a push against mainstream country, and I, for one, am a fan of his music and his ethos. This new album is basically a greatest hits album covering his last 4-5 albums, all of which are fantastic, each with it's own stylistic approach. Making a bluegrass album was an homage to his grandfather and his Kentucky roots, and he's been very humble about and respectful of the talented musicians that recorded the album with him. Speaking of which, no one mentioned Scott Vestal who played banjo on the album and this performance video. 

I think it's unnecessary to knock others down because it isn't your particular cup of tea, but this is the internet so I guess it's par for the course. If nothing else, he's drawing a much larger audience and paycheck to bluegrass musicians who have likely been without much income this year.

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ccravens, 

Chuck Leyda, 

dang, 

Doug Freeman, 

E.R. Villalobos, 

Franc Homier Lieu, 

Grommet, 

GrooverMcTube, 

Isaac Revard, 

jones, 

journeybear, 

Larry S Sherman, 

Mark Gunter, 

mcgroup53, 

Old Growth, 

sgarrity, 

Sheila Lagrand, 

Simon DS

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## Joel Glassman

> A mumblemouth singer who is lucky enough to catch the current spotlight, backed up by an Ace studio band. 'Twas ever thus.


Country music is his thing and he's better than most IMO. Good songwriter too.
Check out his High Top Mountain CD. This is my favorite bluegrass tune by a country star,
though Dolly had a few good bluegrass songs too.

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## Aaron Bohnen

Anybody in that band could be a headliner (or maybe the headliner) in any other setting. Such a lot of talent on that stage. Lifetime masters like Stuart, Scott and Tim as well as Sierra, one of the brightest of the current generation. Wow. 

Enjoy!

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## soliver

That was cool... and shot at the Station Inn no less!... played in the Jam there once, cool stuff!

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## ccravens

Is it me, or is Tim starting to look a lot like Norman Blake?

Thanks for the video. Enjoyed it greatly.

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bradeasley, 

Chuck Leyda, 

Northwest Steve

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## Caleb

Very unsual/unorthodox vocal style, but wow, what a band he put together (Sierra's playing is flawless, as always)!  I also like his old Martin a lot.

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## lowtone2

I hope he's awed.

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## Dan Cole

I really like the Sturgill Cut Grass Album.  So much so i ended up getting his album A Sailors View of Earth.  Everyone has their opinions, for me it was a nice discovery.

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bradeasley, 

Dave_W, 

Grommet

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## ccravens

> A mumblemouth singer who is lucky enough to catch the current spotlight, backed up by an Ace studio band. 'Twas ever thus.


It would appear that Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Scott Vestal, and Mark Howard, among others, do not share your disdain for Mr. Simpson.

What do they know?

 :Wink:

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ajh, 

Dave_W

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## zgraft

> It would appear that Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Scott Vestal, and Mark Howard, among others, do not share your disdain for Mr. Simpson.
> 
> What do they know?


To be fair, it's a job. I'm not sure that that is and of itself enough of a proof that his musicianship is to be admired. 

I didn't really enjoy the video of the performance myself.  I also thought that Hull's vocal style didn't really complement Simpson's here.

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## Chris Cantergiani

Thank you so much for posting this!!  Reading all the... shall we say... 'mixed reviews' about Sturgill's music I can't help but think about Jerry Garcia's great line about the Grateful Dead: 
"We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.”

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ajh, 

bradeasley, 

Sheila Lagrand, 

Tom Ronan

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## allenhopkins

Country singers from Molly O'Day to Tom T. Hall, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Dan Fogelberg, etc., etc. have made albums with bluegrass instrumentation.  Anyone remember Skeeter Davis's _I Love Flatt & Scruggs?_  Conversely, bluegrass stars have invited country artists to join them on album projects, Monroe (_Bill Monroe & Friends_), Stanley (_Ralph Stanley & Friends: Man of Constant Sorrow_), perhaps others.

Some successful, some less so.  Bluegrass is, after all, a sub-genre of country music as it's most broadly defined.  If Sturgill Simpson wanted to explore how his songs sounded as bluegrass, at least he picked a pretty stellar exploration party.

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## roysboy

> A mumblemouth singer who is lucky enough to catch the current spotlight, backed up by an Ace studio band. 'Twas ever thus.



Man ain't that the truth . Who will be next to ' go bluegrass ' ....Justin Bieber..? 
I'm afraid SS can't sing this stuff . No matter how good your band is , this music is about lyric and vocals .

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## bradeasley

> Man ain't that the truth . Who will be next to ' go bluegrass ' ....Justin Bieber..? 
> I'm afraid SS can't sing this stuff . No matter how good your band is , this music is about lyric and vocals .


Is this sarcasm? I really can't tell. Sturgill can't sing his own songs?

I'd take this over mainstream country all day long.

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ccravens, 

Chris Cantergiani, 

Dave_W

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## Mandolin Cafe

Nothing makes bluegrass succeed more in the mainstream more than a popular non-bluegrass musician that records a bluegrass project.

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allenhopkins, 

bradeasley, 

Mark Gunter

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## Zach Wilson

> Nothing makes bluegrass succeed more in the mainstream more than a popular non-bluegrass musician that records a bluegrass project.


🤣🤣🤣

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## mmuller

> Nothing makes bluegrass succeed more in the mainstream more than a popular non-bluegrass musician that records a bluegrass project.


Jerry Garcia - Old and In The Way. Biggest selling Bluegrass record in history until Oh Brother, as I understand? Either way, what person on a mandolin forum wouldn't be thrilled to see 3 mando breaks on a major TV network on a major latenight show, regardless of anything?

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bradeasley, 

Mark Gunter

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## Zach Wilson

> Jerry Garcia - Old and In The Way. Biggest selling Bluegrass record in history until Oh Brother, as I understand? Either way, what person on a mandolin forum wouldn't be thrilled to see 3 mando breaks on a major TV network on a major latenight show, regardless of anything?


Yup! Couldn't agree more.

To the youngsters in my generation (millennials) the best way to describe the sound of the Mandolin, which is quite often, is to bring up Iris-Goo Goo Dolls or Losing My Religion-REM. 

Even Chris Thile is an unknown to the masses of younger folks in my region.

I'll take Sierra Hull over those songs any day!

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bradeasley, 

Mark Gunter

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## Dan Cole

> Nothing makes bluegrass succeed more in the mainstream more than a popular non-bluegrass musician that records a bluegrass project.


I concur. Everyone has opinions, however this Cutting Grass Album is good and it'll make new Bluegrass fans. I'm not understanding the dislike here.  He sings better than Monroe and McCoury by leaps and bounds IMO.

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bradeasley

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## dylanferris

I'm a big Sturgill fan regardless of this new album, but I love the new album. Sierra Hull is exquisite in everything she does and this album is no exception!

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## Astro

Ms Hull shines through as expected. She makes the most intricate runs with such class and grace. More than enough and never too much.

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## Mandolin Cafe

I think the music is exceptional, and his singing doesn't bother me. Don't get me wrong, but nothing excites the masses in the bluegrass genre more than some country yahoo forming an all-star bluegrass band that otherwise doesn't have a real great chance at being on a Colbert or other similar show.

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bradeasley, 

darylcrisp

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## FLATROCK HILL

> ...and his singing doesn't bother me.


There's a ringing endorsement that about covers the way I feel.

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## dang

I think we need to give Sturgill Simpson a break, he was probably hanging out with Tim while with Tim was wearing that shirt before the concert… We’d all be a little more mumble mouthed  :Wink:

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bradeasley

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## David L

I realized after I posted that it is "Stephan" Colbert, not "Steven".

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Dave_W

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## GDAE

> A mumblemouth singer who is lucky enough to catch the current spotlight, backed up by an Ace studio band. 'Twas ever thus.


Or a true country voice, who doesn't mumble.  Did you think Waylon was a mumblemouth too?  His vocal presentation reminds me of Mr. Jennings.

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bradeasley

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## Mark Gunter

Finally got to watch this, and have to say COOL  :Cool: 

It was great seeing these guys play together. My main thought on watching this was that there will surely be some people who do not know who Sierra Hull is, who will now be googling Sierra Hull!

Who is that chick and what is that funny little cool-sounding instrument she's playing? Inquiring minds will want to know. Especially Sturgill fans.

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## FLATROCK HILL

> Or a true country voice, who doesn't mumble.  Did you think Waylon was a mumblemouth too?  His vocal presentation reminds me of Mr. Jennings.


Probably best to leave ol' Waylon outta this as he's no longer around to defend himself.

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## Murphy Slaw

> Probably best to leave ol' Waylon outta this as he's no longer around to defend himself.


Waylon was tough enough to defend himself when he's dead.

Just sayin'...

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lowtone2

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## Denny B

I'm not a big fan of Bluegrass to begin with, but since picking up a mandolin awhile back, I've found that I appreciate mandolin, banjo and fiddle a great deal...just not hardcore BG...

That being said, I loved everything about that vid with the exception of Sturgill Simpson...I've always been a little underwhelmed by his mumbling style, and even when I turned the CC on, it couldn't interpret half his vocals...

But I'd sure like to see that band carry on with a different singer...  :Mandosmiley:

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## mtucker

Great stuff, thanks for sharing. Always happy to see an artist make it, whether it’s something I completely dig or not. BTW, I think his voice is very interesting and genuine.

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Tom Ronan

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## withfoam

Thanks for posting. I had meant to check it out after seeing Sierra Hull post on Twitter about it coming up.

I'm not too familiar with SS, but I recognize that he has talent. His new album is good and especially as a producer, he shines. He produced the latest Margo Price album (That's How Rumors Get Started) and that album has been on repeat for me. It's really something special to my ears.

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Tom Ronan

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## mtucker

BTW, let’s not forget Bub in all of this, he rocks the bass on this song. Great to have such an all star cast around a really solid frontman, it lifts all of them up.

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bradeasley, 

lowtone2, 

Simon DS, 

Tom Ronan

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## Drew Egerton

I liked it. Always amazed by the guys that go out of their way to tell everybody how much they don't like something on here.

If nothing else you should be able to appreciate the fact that a whole lot of people probably just saw/heard a mandolin for the first time and it was a pretty killer job by Sierra (and the rest). May have just inspired the next young kid that will play circles around me in a year. Good for them.

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bradeasley, 

Ken Lucas, 

Tom Ronan

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## AlanN

I liked it, too. His vocals remind me of Gregg Allman a bit.

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## John Ritchhart

Tim's cracking me up. Tommy Bahama meets Duluth Trading Company. I can see him standing in front of his closet going, "Hmmm, what to wear?" on national television. Gotta love his sense of humor.

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lowtone2

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## allenhopkins

Speaking of unlikely people to "front" bluegrass bands, what about Up-and-Coming Bluegrass Banjo Superstar Steve Martin?

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lowtone2

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## mtucker

> Speaking of unlikely people to "front" bluegrass bands, what about Up-and-Coming Bluegrass Banjo Superstar Steve Martin?


Allen, as you know, Steve is the real deal and a banjo Grammy don’t lie. I saw him and the Rangers in concert 6 or so years ago at the Pantages theatre here in Hollywood and they rocked it. Such awesome dynamics in the band, I was stunned. Great for the Steep Canyon Rangers . Similarly, about the same time and place I saw Knopfler and Tim O’Brien and their band play two sets of Celtic together. Tim hit it out of the park on banjo, fiddle and everything that was in front of him and Knopler gave him huge creds during the performance. It’s such a treat to see this kind of stuff come together when you least expect it!

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allenhopkins

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## allenhopkins

Don't disagree; Martin's love for banjo and folk/bluegrass music goes 'way back, before he became a comedy superstar, Hollywood actor, author, screenwriter, playwright, Renaissance man –– he's just collaborated with cartoonist Harry Bliss on a book of captioned drawings, _A Wealth of Pigeons_ -- heard about it on NPR...

"Banjo Grammy" doesn't necessarily impress though, considering the strange criteria the Grammies use to select winners in the non-mainstream categories like "folk and trad."   Winners in those categories have ranged from Dylan to Springsteen, to Doc Watson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops.  I have a suspicion that some of the Grammy voters in the "off" categories wouldn't know traditional music if it sidled up and bit them in the a*s, but vote for names they recognize.  

Martin is a super talent, and succeeds at nearly everything he tries.  I don't question that, but I do sometimes wonder where J D Crowe's Grammy is, or, say, Norman Blake's or Jesse McReynolds'.

I guess the point I was trying to get to, is that it's not an uncommon thing for talented musicians, in genres with some folk/country elements, to want to make a "bluegrass" album.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much.  The dazzling virtuosity of "Nashville cats" who play bluegrass, at least part-time, means that some great pickin' comes out of the studio, but there are times that the performer's voice and style don't totally mesh with what we expect bluegrass to sound like.

I think the example of Jerry Garcia and his _Old & In the Way_ project with Rowan, Clements, Grisman _et. al.,_ or the thrown-together _Muleskinner_ band (Grisman again, Clarence White, Keith, Richard Greene _et. al._), shows that "one-of" (or "few-of") albums by pick-up bands with well-known names, can be more commercially-successful projects than albums by veteran bluegrass stars.  So maybe Sturgill Simpson will interest some people in bluegrass, or not, who knows?

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mtucker

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## mtucker

> The dazzling virtuosity of "Nashville cats" who play bluegrass, at least part-time, means that some great pickin' comes out of the studio, but there are times that the performer's voice and style don't totally mesh with what we expect bluegrass to sound like.
> 
> I think the example of Jerry Garcia and his _Old & In the Way_ project with Rowan, Clements, Grisman _et. al.,_ or the thrown-together _Muleskinner_ band (Grisman again, Clarence White, Keith, Richard Greene _et. al._), shows that "one-of" (or "few-of") albums by pick-up bands with well-known names, can be more commercially-successful projects than albums by veteran bluegrass stars.  So maybe Sturgill Simpson will interest some people in bluegrass, or not, who knows?


I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said. However, the joy from all of this is that artists who would otherwise remain obscure to folks except those who follow their genre get lifted by being exposed through artists who live in the more pop culture. It doesn’t always have to be so pure, IMO. Call me a liberal tree hugger, Lol’s. It’s a good thing I think.

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allenhopkins, 

Tom Ronan

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## bro.craig

I'm a big Sturgill Simpson fan & a fan of all the players in this video, and I'm glad he did the record. However, I don't feel that the bluegrass treatment does most of his songs justice. His previous recordings, esp. "A Sailor's Guide to Earth" are a much better frame for both the songs and his singing than "Cutting Grass". His lyrics are strong and his voice can be extremely expressive. Neither of those qualities really show up in this video.

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## Darren Bailey

Someone bought me this album and i hadn't heard of him before. I haven't played anything else since - I've been obsessed with it.
I thought he must be some old country singe rin his sixties, I was surprised to see him being so young with a voice so rich with experience. The lyrics are fantastic, the playing beyond criticism, I'm a fan.

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cayuga red

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## Nate Lee

Currently stealing Sierra's triplet lick. Thanks for posting!

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## mtucker

> Currently stealing Sierra's triplet lick. Thanks for posting!


 I’m sure it didn’t take you long to get that one under your fingers! Lol’s. Sierra hits it out of the park like mmuler says in so many words in post #26. Awesome breaks! BTW, Tim’s gidup, bibs and Tommy Bahama’s shirt is just crazy cool. He’s such a great artist. Thanks once again David L for the great post.

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## Jess L.

Last night they were on Jimmy Kimmel (different show than above) on another mainstream broadcast TV network (ABC). The mandolin content is mostly the usual bluegrass mando-snare-drum rhythm thing, but there are mandolin short snippets at 0:17 and 2:19:



_(or direct link)_

Agreed that it doesn't exactly showcase Sierra's tremendous talent in just a couple seconds of pickin'. 

But, as others above have said, it's a gig. In a pandemic year. And on TV at that. 

At least they didn't make her wear a miniskirt or other gratuitous nonsense. 

The non-mandolinist TV masses are probably wondering, "Who's that pretty lady on that little guitar?"

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Drew Egerton

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## fishing_with_john

Tim O'Brian isn't wearing that awesome shirt this time, unfortunately.

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## Franc Homier Lieu

Available to Sierra Hull's patreon subscribers:

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## mando_dan

> Is it me, or is Tim starting to look a lot like Norman Blake?


Yes! And is his shirt covered with cannabis leaves? Quite floral regardless.

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## dylanferris

> Available to Sierra Hull's patreon subscribers:



I just signed up this morning because of this. Can't wait to dive in!

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## bgpete

Wow - some band! Sierra and Stuart killing' it.

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## Zach Wilson

> Last night they were on Jimmy Kimmel (different show than above) on another mainstream broadcast TV network (ABC). The mandolin content is mostly the usual bluegrass mando-snare-drum rhythm thing, but there are mandolin short snippets at 0:17 and 2:19:
> 
> 
> 
> _(or direct link)_
> 
> Agreed that it doesn't exactly showcase Sierra's tremendous talent in just a couple seconds of pickin'. 
> 
> But, as others above have said, it's a gig. In a pandemic year. And on TV at that. 
> ...


Thanks for sharing! I really love this  :Smile:

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Jess L.

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## Grommet

Love a good crossover project myself. Loved it when Lester Flatt sang Dyan on Changing Times, even if it wasn't his favorite. The clip above shows a nice guitar lead in. I will check out some of his other stuff. The bluegrass clip above that is awesome.

Scott

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## Murphy Slaw

It's a gig.

Most of us aren't allowed a gig.

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## Simon DS

Everyone likes different things I guess.
I think the vocals are genius. A bit like Andrew from Mandolin Orange.
I understand that the band has very specific goals to attain in that short length off time and I think they did really well. It was a bit The Traveling Wilburys.

And all the pain he expresses in the vocals, and Sierra’s there, wonderful playing with warm supporting bluegrass riffs. 
I did wonder if anyone thought that her tone was a bit A style and, dare I say it, deep like and octave mandolin?  :Smile: 

But no-one seems to have noticed the psycho in the suit waving the deadly weapon.
Was no-one else reminded of bottle and knife fights in the ‘70s?
But I guess it’s all part of the show.

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## k_russ

> Talk about a good backup band!


That band could make me sound like a star.

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lowtone2

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## lowtone2

> That band could make me sound like a star.


 If Mike Bub is on it, for starters, you know it's going to have the groove if nothing else.

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## TimB989

The Cuttin Grass albums are actually my favorite thing Sturgill Simpson has done. Hard not to watch that Colbert clip and not feel like Sierra Hull really shined.

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