Sierra Ferrell is a four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.
I still have to pinch myself typing that because the Appalachian fairy finally gets the recognition she deserves.
Here at Whiskey Riff, we have championed Ferrell since the early days of her career, advocating for our readers to check out her music whenever possible. She is an out-of-this-world talent, a gentle soul, and an incredible musician.
While for some folks, Sierra Ferrell might seem like an overnight success, it’s been a Long Time Coming for her to make it to this moment. (Sorry, I had to reference her debut record.) Ferrell grew up in West Virginia but spent much of her early adulthood train hopping and busking for money.
Ferrell eventually ended up in Nashville, frequently performing at The American Legion Post 82, famed Honky Tonk Tuesdays, where she caught attention from Gary Paczosa and Rounder Records. From there, she began working on her debut record, Long Time Coming, which dropped in 2021 and instantly caught the attention of bluegrass and folk fans. Three years later, she released her sophomore record, Trail Of Flowers, which solidified her seat at the table and garnered attention from The Recording Academy.
Now a familiar name among country music fans, Sierra Ferrell sells out shows and tours with big names like Post Malone. Her eccentric outfits and joyful outlook on life frequently bring a smile to fans’ faces.
After sweeping the Americana categories at the Grammy Awards earlier this month, leaving with four trophies in hand, Ferrell sat for an interview right after the ceremony, and to say she was grateful is an understatement.
During the interview, which Ferrell noted she was very nervous about, the woman conducting it asked her if she felt like earning these awards was an overnight success or a long road. Ferrell answered honestly that it was a long and hard road to stand on the other side of the camera as a four-time Grammy winner.
“It was definitely a slow build because, as a child, I never thought that I would be here. I remember watching these shows as a little kid, and I just didn’t think someone like me would fit. You know now, here I am, and it’s been a beautiful experience, and it’s been a long, hard road to be there.
But I have so much gratefulness and gratitude toward it all.”
Ferrell notes that although she has experienced a lot of pain to get to this point and there is also a lot of pain in the world right now, she finds inspiration from the darkness. The interviewer asks her if that pain fuels her creativity to write, which Ferrell quickly confirms.
“Absolutely, because I see myself as a healer. I see myself as someone who can give a voice to people who need it and someone who can give a voice to people who don’t really understand how they are feeling, maybe perhaps, at the time – for them to kind of vibrate and resonate with that.”
While most listeners find Ferrell’s music healing to some extent (I know it was very powerful for me when I was mending a broken heart), Ferrell surprisingly said that fans often approach her to say that her music has helped them process death or cope with the idea of death.
If you know anything about Ferrell’s past, she has a complicated history with death, once claiming to have seen the light when she overdosed on drugs. The story is haunting, but Ferrell tells the heavy message with some beauty, as she often does with her hauntingly beautiful lyrics.
Ferrell deserves all these Grammy wins, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented artist.
The Era of Sierra is here to stay.
