UCSB Arts & Lectures Presents Mandolin Virtuoso Sierra Hull | Arts & Entertainment

Sierra Hull, six-time Bluegrass Music Association Mandolin Player of the Year, will perform 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at UCSB’s Campbell Hall.

Hull has been nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2026, including Best American Roots Song and Best Bluegrass Album.

A native of Byrdstown, Tennessee, Hull is rooted in bluegrass, yet her music continually pushes boundaries, according to program presenter UCSB Arts & Lectures.

Her fourth studio album “Tip Toe High Wire” is nominated for Best Bluegrass Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Once a prodigy mentored by Alison Krauss, Hull has become one of acoustic music’s most captivating voices, blending bluegrass roots with adventurous songwriting and chamber-folk finesse, Arts & Lectures said.

“Her command of the stage has led to widely acclaimed performances including the Outlaw Music Tour alongside artists such as Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Billy Strings,” organizers said.

With “Tip Toe High Wire,” her fourth studio album, Hull steps into a new chapter of independence. Following her departure from longtime label Rounder Records, this marks her first album in five years.

“Coming off a long-term record deal, I wanted to make some music without too many outside voices,” Hull said. “When you look at how much I’ve toured and how busy my world has been, it was important for me to just get settled – to make sure the time I released it felt like the right moment.”

The album reflects Hull’s self-discovery and drive to grow as an artist.

“There’s always a new mountain to climb, in terms of becoming more proficient as a player, singer, or writer,” she said. “And that’s where life experience in the world and the way things surround you come into the music and the storytelling.”

Tickets are $45-$60, general public; $15 for UCSB students with current student ID. For tickets and more, visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu, or call 805-893-3535.