Sister Sadie welcomes Mary Meyer on mandolin

Sister Sadie, 2020 IBMA Entertainers of the Year, 3-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year, and 2019 Grammy-nominee for Best Bluegrass Album (Sister Sadie II), announce the addition of Mary Meyer on mandolin and vocals to their musical quintet. One of Meyer’s first appearances with Sister Sadie was on the Grand Ole Opry. Prerecorded in December, it aired January 8.

Described as the “bluegrass bom”” by Circle TV’s Opry Live host, Natalie Stovall, Sister Sadie wowed the audience as they always do. Stovall remarked following their performance, “The musicianship and talent on this stage right now with those women playing those instruments is just unparalleled.”

Here they are on the Opry doing a Merle Haggard classic, Lonesome Fugitive and Raleigh’s Ride

The award-winning ensemble of talented ladies includes: Deanie Richardson on fiddle, Gena Britt on banjo, Hasee Ciaccio on bass, and Jaelee Roberts on guitar.

 “Mary is the perfect fit for where Sister Sadie has been and where we are headed, and her angelic voice mixed with her innovative, hard-driving mandolin skills are just the ingredients needed to continue the legacy of the stellar players and singers that have comprised Sister Sadie since 2012. Always prepared and the consummate team player, Mary Meyer is the perfect addition to our band and we know that you will love her!” stated founding members, Deanie Richardson and Gena Britt.

 Raised in southwestern Missouri, Mary grew up honing her musical chops with her three brothers. The siblings, John, David, Jimmy, and Mary formed The Meyerband. When she was just thirteen years old, Mary began touring nationally with her brothers. The Meyerband won the 2013 SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band Championship in Nashville, TN, after winning the 2009 Youth Bluegrass Competition at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO, only a year after taking the stage together for the first time.  

Mary is also an award-winning mandolinist, garnering the 2010 Arkansas State Mandolin Championship. The young professional musician enjoys working in the studio as well as performing on stage. A multi-instrumentalist, she plays fiddle, bass, guitar, and piano in addition to mandolin, as well as being a songwriter. 

Recently, Mary, who resides in Nashville, performed shows with the award-winning country group, Diamond Rio. She also accompanied Gospel/bluegrass/acoustic artist, Jason Hoard, along with famed fiddler Jenee Fleenor, multi-instrumentalist Mike Rogers, and renowned bassist, Barry Bales. She also performed weekly shows at the Station Inn with her brother, John, during the pandemic.

Sister Sadie’s newest member stated, “Sister Sadie is a great band of women. I’ve been a fan for a long time, so I’m pretty excited about the opportunity to make music with such awesome musicians and singers. Thank you Deanie, Gena, Hasee, and Jaelee for havin’ me along!”

Meyer fills the vacancy left by mandolinist/vocalist Tina Adair. Sister Sadie wishes her the best as she pursues her solo career.

Look for great music from both Sister Sadie and Tina Adair in 2022. Visit them online (sistersadieband.com and tinaadair.net) for upcoming shows.

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About the Author

Sandy Hatley

Sandy Chrisco Hatley is a free lance writer for several NC newspapers and Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. As a teenager, she picked banjo with an all girl band called the Happy Hollow String Band. Today, she plays dobro with her husband's band, the Hatley Family.