Sarah Siskind unapologetically shows up to sing her truth. Steeped in Appalachian Roots but always pushing genre lines, her authenticity as an artist and songwriter has never wavered.
Huffington Post says: “Siskind has been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Brandi Carlile, but in my humble opinion, she’s incomparable.”
She has shared the stage with heroes Bonnie Raitt, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Paul Brady, Swell Season, Bon Iver and more. “She is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of artist.” - No Depression
The North Carolina native has had covers by Alison Krauss, Wynonna, Randy Travis, Bon Iver and many others. Over 20 of her songs were featured on the hit TV series Nashville including the unofficial theme song “A Life That’s Good”.
Siskind’s new album “Simplify” was released April 18, 2025 on Modern Appalachia Records; her most intimate release to date. NPR calls it “one of the top 5 albums released on this day.”
Siskind grew up in a North Carolina house so steeped in music; she claims it as her first language. “I almost find it hard to talk about my music,” laughs Siskind, “speaking is really my second form of communication.” After moving to Nashville at the age of 20, her song “Goodbye Is All We Have” was recorded by Alison Krauss, which led to a job at Big Yellow Dog as a staff writer. Siskind went to have songs recorded by Randy Travis, Wynonna, Point of Grace, Madi Diaz, and countless others. Her music has also found its way onto television, where her songs have been heavily featured on CMT’s’s Nashville, as well as on MTV’s Teen Mom 2, MTV’s Awkward, ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, Lifetime’s Army Wives and HBO’s The Wire. She made her primetime TV debut in 2014, performing Nashville’s hit “A Life That’s Good” from the Ryman stage with the show’s cast and co-writer Ashley Monroe.
But her notoriety as a songwriter has not overshadowed her virtuosity as an artist, with The Huffington Post stating, “Siskind has been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Brandi Carlile, but in my humble opinion, she’s incomparable.” In 2009, Siskind released her album Say It Louder on Thirty Tigers, which met with critical acclaim and won “Americana Album of the Year” at the Nashville Music Awards. Her earlier album Covered, the release of which was derailed due to health issues, was brought back to life in 2014 by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), who personally sought it out for re-release on his record label Jagjaguwar.
Since then, Sarah has become a regular NPR performer, with features on Tiny Desk concerts, World Cafe with David Dye, All Songs Considered, Song Of The Day, and most recently Mountain Stage. She has toured with Bonnie Raitt, Lee Ann Womack, Paul Brady, Bon Iver (who also famously covered her “Lovin’s For Fools”), and The Swell Season.