“We didn’t go in to record a bluegrass meets 90’s country record,” says Deanie Richardson, award-winning fiddler and a founding member of twice GRAMMY-nominated Sister Sadie. “However, as the record progressed, it quickly turned into my most favorite record I’ve ever done. Each song is personal to us all.”
“This album was so much fun to record,” adds her co-founding colleague – and another award-winning instrumentalist herself – Gena Britt, whose banjo drives the ‘grassier numbers and offers rippling embroidery in others. “These incredibly talented women are amazing, and I’m honored to be on this ride with them. From the production to the stage, these songs resonate with all of us. And we can’t wait for the world to share this ride with us.”
Richardson and Britt are talking about All Will Be Well, their second album for preeminent bluegrass label Mountain Home Music Company after 2024’s Best Bluegrass GRAMMY-nominated No Fear, slated for a June 27th release. The sextet has been releasing singles since last fall’s debut of the title track, and while their success at bluegrass radio has come as no surprise — Sister Sadie has racked up International Bluegrass Music Association awards for years, including current trophies for Richardson (Fiddle Player of the Year) and guitarist/singer Jaelee Roberts (Female Vocalist of the Year) — 2025 found them moving into new broadcast territory, as country radio began to pick up on their joyously loose-limbed, waltz time ode to independence of spirit, “Do What You Want,” whose accompanying concept video is being released simultaneously with today’s album announcement. Similarly, their latest single, a devastatingly intimate look at the generational trauma of emotional and physical abuse titled “Let the Circle Be Broken,” is reaching audiences beyond the bluegrass faithful.
“This record takes you on a musical/emotional journey,” Richardson observes. “From packing up the ‘Winnebago’ to the cheating song in ‘First Time Liar’ to a hardcore 90’s feel with ‘Prodigal Daughter’ and ‘Make Me Stay or Make Me Go,’ then falling in love with ‘If I Don’t Have You’ to the heartbreak of ‘This Is Me,’ all the feels of ‘Orphan Train’ and the healing from generational trauma in ‘Let The Circle Be Broken.’”
Indeed, the journey Richardson outlines encompasses not only the lyric and thematic range she describes, but is a multi-faceted musical one, too. Drawing on an array of musical supporters ranging from brand new Grand Ole Opry member Steve Earle, who turns in an empathetic harmony vocal on “I Wish It Would Rain,” to legends like pedal steeler Russ Pahl and keyboard player Catherine Marx, to world-class colleagues like guitarist Seth Taylor (Dailey & Vincent, Post Malone), multi-instrumentalist Mary Meyer and drummer Dave Racine, All Will Be Well features compelling arrangements that place unbounded virtuosity at the service of a collection of songs as strong as any emerging from Music Row.
“All Will Be Well is by far the most fun and most fulfilling recording experience I’ve had in my 15+ years in the music business,” enthuses Jaelee Roberts’ guitar/vocalist counterpart, Dani Flowers, who co-wrote more than half of the album’s songs. “Each song was carefully selected. Some we poured pieces of our souls into, others we’ve loved for years and years — and we each deeply relate to every song.”
Sure enough, that intimate connection the group has with each song manifests itself not only in their lovingly crafted settings, but in the careful match of song to singer, with Roberts and Flowers joined in taking lead vocal turns by Britt and bassist Maddie Dalton. The result underlines the kaleidoscopic nature of All Will Be Well, as instrumentation, vocals, tempos and moods shift from song to song, even as the underlying odyssey from heartbreak to redemption remains a unifying throughline, knitting the collection into a seamless whole.
“The sounds on this record are heavily influenced by the recent resurgence of the 90’s country sound we all love so much,” notes Flowers, “along with the bluegrass instrumentation that has brought us where we are today. From the studio to the stage, the songs from this record have brought us back to life and connected us to each other in brand new ways. I cannot wait for this one to be out in the world!”
Concludes Richardson, “This record is a perfect answer to our last project, No Fear: fear is gone, and now All Will Be Well. I am so incredibly proud of all of us and what we created.”
Sister Sadie is a groundbreaking, all-female bluegrass band that has become a force to be reckoned with in the genre and beyond. Formed serendipitously during a one-off jam session at Nashville’s legendary Station Inn, the group’s undeniable chemistry transformed a casual collaboration into a full-time powerhouse. Today, Sister Sadie is celebrated for their electrifying performances, stellar musicianship and the seamless blend of tradition and innovation they bring to bluegrass music. The band is composed of six supremely talented musicians, each with a rich history of individual achievements that elevate the collective magic of Sister Sadie. With a shared passion for their craft and a dedication to excellence, Sister Sadie is more than a band—they are a movement, carrying the torch for bluegrass music into the future while honoring its rich traditions.
