Choral director Dr. Kellie Clark is currently listening to “Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Chatham County” by Sierra Ferrell.
“She’s a modern artist, but she has this old-timey, country, New Orleans sort of ragtime vibe about her,” Clark said.
“Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Chatham County” has a country, soulful tune about it. It tells a story about cooking chitlins and how Ferrell is reminiscent of when she used to cook them in her hometown. The song starts with a banjo tune and a gentle demeanor in her voice as she sings.
The circuit of juke joints and clubs patronized by African Americans has been called the Chitlin’ Circuit. The Chitlin’ Circuit was a string of music venues in the South that sold chitlins’ and other soul food dishes. Animal innards have long been treasured foods around the world, especially in Europe.
Ferrell’s musical journey began in childhood, playing clarinet and singing choir in school, eventually learning to play guitar and even once performing Shania Twain covers at a local bar. In her early twenties, she found a nomadic lifestyle about her life by hitch-hiking and freight hopping. Around this time, Ferrell had looked toward playing folk music. She even had a feature in Zach Bryan’s most recent album with the song titled “Holy Roller.”
“She’s a great songwriter, her beautiful melodies, her musicians and her band are just really good, so her mandolin player is really great,” Clark said. “Her guitar player is really good. She plays the fiddle and also writes all of her own songs.”
One of Ferrell’s more well known songs is “Dollar Bill Bar,” which gave her some temporary fame on social media. She performs next year starting in Melbourne, and later will tour with The Teskey Brothers the same year.
You can listen to “Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County” by Sierra Ferrell on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and YouTube Music.