This is hands down one of my favorites from the John Anderson tribute album, Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson.
It’s no secret at this point that I have a major girl crush on Sierra Ferrell’s music. Her sound is addicting, and her ability to infiltrate a cover song that closely follows the original composition with her own unique flair is impressive. It highlights her artistry perfectly.
I have yet to see a clip of her performing “Years” as high quality as this one, so it quickly became a comfort video of mine.
And let me tell you, the live version does not disappoint.
A couple months back, she took the stage at The Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska, and the sound of the tune live was nearly as good as the studio recording.
The seemingly intimate crowd was hushed as she sang, letting out an occasional holler when she belted out the chorus. She hits every note effortlessly, and her band helps her form phenomenal harmonies.
Sierra Ferrell is undoubtedly a gem in the folk and Americana space… and quite frankly, a superstar in the making.
Released last summer, the song and tribute album was produced by Dan Auerbach and David Ferguson, and Anderson himself couldn’t contain his excitement for Ferrell’s cover, along with the other stars who are taking part in the tribute:
“Listening to everybody do their own takes on the songs shows how the songs really come through. And I thought to myself, ‘You might have been young and foolish back then, but you sure did pick some good songs.’
It’s very gratifying to know that some things really do not change, and a great country song remains a great country song. Any one person on the record would be a real tribute, but all of them together? It’s a pretty big deal for me personally.”
Auerbach also added:
“We weren’t trying to piddle around and make the normal tribute record. It had to be the best singers with the best songs and the best arrangements, and they had to come into the studio.
This wasn’t like, ‘Mail me the song, and we’ll put it together.’ I think it makes this record unique. I don’t think most tribute records are done like this. I think that’s why it sounds like a cohesive album. It feels like an amazing mix tape.”
Check out the studio version from Sierra Ferrell:
And of course, the original:
