Today, SIERRA HULL — the 2x GRAMMY-nominated and 6x International Bluegrass Music Association Award-winning artist — has released her roots-laced rendition of “Black Muddy River” — which has been a recurring gem in her live set for years. 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.
Stream/Share “Black Muddy River” here.
Relix supported the song, raving: “For Hull’s interpretation, ‘Black Muddy River’ finds a home in the roots ether, percolating an underlining current of the folk tradition while flexing her puissant bluegrass-lean. Performed at a gentler pace than the Dead’s original, the song channels the essence of a lullaby, swaddling the listener in acoustic instrumentals that marry the songbird’s heartfelt, introspective take on the Robert Hunter-penned lyrics, harmoniously dispatched in retro-spirit.”
‘“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.
