The Sullivan Sisters (Early)

The Sullivan Sisters have enchanted listeners since their youth by combining rapid bluegrass picking with soulful sibling vocals, spanning original songs to classic folk tunes and energetic instrumentals. Drawing inspiration from the bluegrass community in North Carolina where they were born and raised, Soraya and Luciya started guitar and banjo lessons at ages eight and six respectively. Their music was shaped by the local bluegrass scene around them, which followed them when they moved to Chicago. For over a decade, The Sullivan Sisters have performed as headliners at Merlefest, Bluegrass Hall of Fames Romptober Festival, IBMAs Bluegrass Live Festival, the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, and the Evanston Folk Festival. Their instrumental skills earned them national recognition: First Prize in Banjo and Third Prize in Guitar at RockyGrass 2023; First Prize in Fiddle, Second Prize in Guitar, and Third Prize in Mandolin at RockyGrass 2025; plus Second Prize in the 2024 Galax Old Fiddlers Convention Bluegrass Banjo contest. They also took Third Prize at the 2025 RockyGrass Band Competition. Recently, the sisters expanded into a five-piece group by teaming up with three talented teenage musicians and long-time friends: Oscar Caudell on mandolin, Finn McGuinness on fiddle, and Sammy Mougin on bass. Their new lineup debuted to a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd in Chicago in January 2025, with several tours scheduled for 2025 and beyond.