We are so excited to unveil the final installment of our DelFest Sessions, featuring Grammy-nominated bluegrass supergroup Sister Sadie. Over the course of the Memorial Day festival in Cumberland, Maryland, BGS contributors and videographers I Know We Should shot a half dozen superlative live performances on the gorgeous banks of the Potomac River. From festival hosts the Travelin’ McCourys, Big Richard, and Wood Belly to East Nash Grass, Mountain Grass Unit, and now the Sadies, each edition of our DelFest Sessions has been an audio swatch of the incredible national string band scene we all adore.
With a raucous “WOO!” shouted to the festival-goers floating by in their inner tubes and kayaks on the river, Sister Sadie stepped up to the mics to deliver two gentle, burning, emotive tracks pulled from their critically-acclaimed album, No Fear, which was released earlier this year. The first, “Blue As My Broken Heart,” was written by Dani Flowers – who sings lead on the number – with co-writers Victoria Banks and Rachel Proctor. Evocative imagery and detailed text painting here feel more than appropriate for the setting, in the verdant foothills of Appalachia on the cusp of spring and summer. You can almost feel the blue sky above and you can certainly grasp, immediately, why this group is up for eight IBMA Awards this year – including Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year.
For their second selection, Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Jaelee Roberts renders “One’s Real Life,” a song she penned that stays within the decidedly bluegrass theme of heartbreak and longing. With a vocal trio rounded out by Flowers and banjoist Gena Britt – who is nominated for Banjo Player of the Year – they sing, “One’s a photo and one is real life/ Oh it hurts to know which one is right…”
All at once these lyrics bring to mind idiomatic songs in the bluegrass and roots canon – like Hazel Dickens’ “Just A Few Old Memories” and Guy Clark’s “My Favorite Picture of You” – as well as more mainstream string bands like The Chicks and Alison Krauss & Union Station. Sister Sadie combine it all, from Music Row songwriters and crisp and clean Nashville sounds to the grit and drive of straight ahead bluegrass and old-time. To wit, No Fear includes tracks written by country stars Cam (“Diane”) and Ashley McBryde (“Willow”).
Whatever the setting, from the Grand Ole Opry to the shady banks of the Potomac River, Sister Sadie shine. Thanks to the band, including Roberts, Flowers, Britt, Deanie Richardson, Maddie Dalton, and Tristan Scroggins, for taking the time. We couldn’t think of a better way to close our DelFest Sessions out.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series of live performance videos – check out the full batch of impeccable songs by first-rate DelFest bands here. Special thanks to Brad Wagner and Juan Soria of I Know We Should, to Christopher Weist for the beautiful drone footage, to Ariel Rosemberg for production assistance, curation, and coordination, and to DelFest for their hospitality.
Video Credit: Brad Wagner, I Know We Should
Drone Footage: Christopher Weist
Audio Credit: Juan Soria, I Know We Should
