Sarah Siskind profile picture

Sarah Siskind

new record is coming...

About Me


REVIEW WRITTEN BY FRANK GOODMAN/PUREMUSIC:It only happens once in a while. A singer just hits you right in your heart, and you start breathing more shallowly. And you notice that you're holding on, and then you have to let go. And then it's all over but the crying. This woman just kills me. She's got an awesome heart. And you meet people in life that do, and it's always transforming. But when some of those people have a voice that can channel that quality with such power and beauty, it's truly mesmerizing.
This very limited, hand-made (one at a time) recording is precious to me. One disc is Studio, the other is Living Room. Even Studio is very sparse, very live, incredibly intimate. It was produced by Fognode, a highly regarded undergrounder of Nashville, who also played drums, pedal steel and percussion. The Flecktones' Jeff Coffin contributes stellar moments of saxophone, flute and chimes. Dave Dawson plays synth and percussion. The archetypal artist (to me, she's like a character out of The Mists Of Avalon) plays guitar and piano and sings like she's at the Lord's right hand.
She is rare in other ways. The child of musicians, she was already writing songs at 11, and cut her first record at 14. (And if you know anyone who made a record at 14 with a title even remotely like Horizon Cries, we're keen to hear about them.) Sarah has her musical tentacles into various genres, but she has strong bluegrass roots. In fact, the first song on Living Room, "Simple Love," was cut by Alison Krauss and released on her recent CD, A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection.
Witness the power of the artist evidenced by the fact that the Living Room disc actually overpowers the embellished companion disc in its sheer presence. This woman is huge; she's a superstar. She's getting ready to record a new disc as this review is being written, and that will be a true event. And yet, she told me at a recent bluegrass show with her great side group Old Black Kettle (featuring powerhouse vocalists Julie Lee and Jodi Haynes, the daughter of Connie Smith) that she doesn't know if she is suited to or looking for the limelight. As far as we're concerned, she'd have to run in the opposite direction to avoid it at this point.
Get this incredible handmade disc. And buy her first one, Covered (it featured Bill Frisell; see the Puremusic review of Covered here). One of the greatest under the radar talents we've ever encountered. • Frank Goodman, Puremusic.com

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/24/2005
Band Website: sarahsiskind.com
Band Members: Lex Price, Ian Fitchuk, Joe McMahan
Influences: people i listened to a lot in life and probably most likely influenced me...The Story, John McLaughlin, June Tabor, Ron Sexsmith, Dolly Parton, Trilok Gurtu, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Tim O'Brien, Sam Bush, Ana Egge, Jennifer Kimball, Bill Frisell, The Bothy Band, Martin Carthy, Paul Brady, Tony Rice, The Sundays, Lauryn Hill, Mahalia Jackson, Pearl Jam, Daniel Tashian, Liz Story, Led Zeppelin, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Tibbetts, Darrell Scott, John McCusker, Rush...

A SHOUT OUT TO THE PEEPS IN NASHVILLE that continue to inspire me and do what they do -- Julie Lee, Kate York, Lex Price, Jeff Coffin, Megan McCormick, Kyle Andrews, Joe McMahan, Chris Moore, Mack Starks.

Sounds Like: BUY CDS, SINGLE SONG OR FULL ALBUM DOWNLOADS HERE:

SARAH SISKIND on ITUNES!

SARAH PERFORMS "FALLING STARS" LIVE WITH DUKE LEVINE:
SARAH PERFORMS PARTS OF "ONE STEP CLOSER" LIVE WITH DUKE LEVINE:
ALISON KRAUSS'S NEW VIDEO FOR "SIMPLE LOVE":
ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION'S VIDEO FOR "GOODBYE IS ALL WE HAVE" - Look for Sarah on the bus!:
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

07/01/08 - new page! new songs!

hi folks,i've leaked some new tunes! i'm hoping to switch them up and give you an idea of the full album later, but for now, these four will do. the gracious jerry douglas lent his amazing talents o...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:40:00 PST

6/11/08 - summer songs - Infamous Stringdusters & Randy Travis

howdy all,well, it has turned summer in nashville! i know it's lavish, but one day i certainly want a pool in my backyard!a couple of news-bites regarding some tunes:6/10/08 - INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS ...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:55:00 PST

05/12/08 - another video posted

hi all,i've posted another video from you tube of me playing with duke levine at lizard lounge in february. duke is one of the most soulful, tasteful, ridiculous guitar players of our time. this son...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Tue, 13 May 2008 08:56:00 PST

05/03/08 - recording...and the people involved

over the past month i have been in and out of the studio, making a new record. we are in mixing phase now, and i'm tickled. i cannot wait to share it with you. the team of people that worked with m...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Sun, 04 May 2008 04:25:00 PST

04/26/08 - Midnite Jamboree tonight!

Dear Friends - It's an old-fashioned true Nashville night!I have been invited by the amazingly kind and talented Connie Smith to sing a couple of my tunes tonight at the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree.I...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:18:00 PST

4/24/08 - yep, yep

yes, folks it's true. i'm making a record! i'm so excited. being in the studio is so fun, exhausting and like a cacoon that just gets wrapped around tight! i am enjoying working with some of nashv...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:49:00 PST

3/29/08 - april is nice

so friends, somehow, my birth month is just 3 days away. even though april sounds like sun and daffodils, it’s quite chilly and rainy here in music city. this month holds exciting things...on ...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:45:00 PST

3/20/08 - random thoughts

ok, so my first thought isn’t so random: the full band played 3rd&lindsley tonight and honestly, i haven’t had so much playing music in a long time. hats off to lex price, ian fitchuk and...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:00:00 PST

03/09/08 - FINALLY on Youtube!

better late than never...i've finally found my way onto youtube and wanted to share this video with you all. i'll be in the studio soon, and will be recording this song, 'falling stars', but until th...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:08:00 PST

03/02/08 - march?

i'm back in nashville after a 2 week northeast tour and i just can't believe it's march! the shows in DC, nyc, and boston went very well and i'm ready to reunite with my nashville buds and play tomor...
Posted by Sarah Siskind on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:14:00 PST