Music Spotlight: Sister Sadie

As I have been exploring bluegrass music more seriously, a band that kept appearing in my emails was the all-girl group Sister Sadie. When my friend and Music Spotlight artist Erin Enderlin mentioned she had co-written three songs on their newest album, I knew it was time to feature them.

Sister Sadie began when a handful of young women gathered at the Station Inn to hang out while they were on Christmas break from their regular gigs. They gathered in a circle, and as soon as they played the first four bars of the intro, they sounded like they had been playing together forever.

They started getting calls from promoters saying, “Hey, would you consider playing a show?” And they were like, “All right. That sounds fun.”

Deanie Richardson explained, “We were doing other things. None of us had this desire to make it a full-time band or a full-time thing. It was just a one-off for fun to get together and have a good time. And then it just kind of organically exploded and grew to, ‘Hey, come play some shows.’ Then it was, ‘Hey, the record label called wants us to do a record.’”

Since their inception in 2012, their song “Unholy Water” has become a massive hit, firmly establishing them on the bluegrass landscape.

Since then, Sister Sadie has embraced and transcended their all-female identity, earning acclaim that includes being named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 2020, as well as Vocal Group of the Year in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Today, the roster has undergone some changes. However, it still includes two founding members: the award-winning Gena Britt (banjo, vocals) and Richardson (fiddle), a Grammy-nominated artist who has toured and recorded with legends such as Bob Seger, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and The Chieftains.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of several original band members, Britt and Richardson briefly considered disbanding the band. Ultimately, they decided to hire a team and dedicate 110 percent of their effort to making Sister Sadie a success.

In 2024, their Grammy-nominated album No Fear marked a new chapter in the band’s history. The songs “Willow” and “Well” proved to the world and themselves that they were indeed a force to be reckoned with.

Britt and Richardson spoke with me about the new album, All Will Be Well, and the new band members. They now have added Jaelee Roberts (guitar, lead vocals), who is a rising star in the bluegrass world; Dani Flowers (guitar, vocals), who is a multi-talented artist, songwriter, vocalist, and instrumentalist; Rainy Miatke (mandolin, vocals) whose precise mandolin playing enrich the bands signature sound, and their newest member, Katie Blomarz-Kimball (bass, vocals) who has played upright/electric bass and sung harmonies in various genres.

Their newest album continues the forward-leaning optimism of their previous album while simultaneously exploring heavy themes, including trauma and loss.

“Orphan Train” is a true, heart-wrenching story about Britt’s grandmother, who, at age six, got separated from her brothers and sisters as they were sent away on a train from Warsaw, North Carolina, to Greensboro, North Carolina. “From that time forward, every time she heard a train whistle, it would destroy her,” Britt recalled.

“If I Don’t Have You” is one of the most beautiful love songs (bluegrass or otherwise) that I have ever heard. It is exquisite.

A favorite of Britt and Richardson is the heartfelt “Winnebago,” an aptly named song about the wanderlust lifestyle that some (especially musicians) lead.

“Let The Circle Be Broken” is the single that has garnered the most attention lately. The somber but uplifting tune is about generational trauma and abuse that keeps getting passed down. The song asserts that the continuation of the trauma and abuse stops with me. It doesn’t go any further.

Richardson likes the sentiment of the song “Prodigal Daughter,” a song about unconditional love —a theme relatable to all.

“First Time Liar” is about love gone wrong, but also a reminder that two can play the cheating game.

One of my favorites off the record is the upbeat “Devil Don’t Care.” The sassy lyrics I’ve been a good girl/I’ve been sayin’ my prayers/ but the Lord ain’t listening/ and the devil don’t care are right up my alley. You also won’t want to miss the encouraging “Do What You Want.”

Dani Flowers, who co-wrote eight of the songs on the album, stated, “The sounds on this record are heavily influenced by the recent resurgence of the ’90s country sound we all love so much.”

In no song is the ’90s country sound more evident than “This Is Me (You’re Not Talking To).” Trisha Yearwood or Martina McBride could have easily had the song on their record.  

The traditional bluegrass sound is alive and well, as evidenced by “Can’t Let Go Of Your Love” and the title track, “All Will Be Well.” The harmony is superb as well.

All Will Be Well takes you on a musical and emotional roller coaster. It’s the perfect combination of ’90s country and bluegrass music. It doesn’t matter which camp you are in. Sister Sadie has outdone themselves with this new record. Just listen!

You can purchase Sister Sadie’s first-ever vinyl record here.

Follow Sister Sadie on their website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok, and all streaming platforms.

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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

 

 

 

The post Music Spotlight: Sister Sadie first appeared on The Arizona Sun Times.