Sierra West

Her story

• ConnecticutBorn in Connecticut. She grew up on James Taylor.
• 1999Her first album, Depleted Oxygen, recorded in New York under the name Sierra.
• 2000sBoston years: Club Passim, the Cantab Lounge, T.T. the Bear's, open mics and benefit shows. By day, a veterinary technician.
• 2009The Rocks EP, released at The Lizard Lounge, Cambridge.
• Aug 2012Hold Your Fire, produced by Lorne Entress, with Catie Curtis and Mark Erelli. Release show at Club Passim.
• 2012Moves to San Diego.
• 2012–2013San Diego Songwriters Guild: Gold for "Hold Your Fire", then Platinum for "It's About Time". A finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. On Music Connection's Hot 100 Live Unsigned.
• 2014"Hold Your Fire" plays in ABC's Resurrection. Best Singer-Songwriter at the San Diego Music Awards.
• 2015Best Singer-Songwriter again. Plays in the all-female band CalAmity. Releases Long Way Down.
• 2016One of ten songwriters at Creative Lab Hawaii. President of the San Diego Songwriters Guild.
• 2022–2025Back in Connecticut: NERFA, the Torrington Winter Concert Series, the Black Bear Music Festival, and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's Emerging Artist Showcase.
• Sep 2026She survives a near-fatal car crash. She and her greyhound, Dylan, were both in neck braces.
• 2026"About Time", with Ashley Elizabeth Wilson.

Music

• About Time2026 · with Ashley Elizabeth Wilson→
• You're My Happy Day2025 · single, written with Tracey and Vance Marino→
• Long Way Down2015 · album, 10 songs→
• Hold Your Fire2012 · EP, with It's About Time→
• Rocks2009 · EP
• Depleted Oxygen1999 · album, as Sierra

On compilations and with others

• Help! Our Bands Are On Fire!2012 · "Hold Your Fire", on Midday Records' benefit album→
• Staring At The Sun XI2014 · "It's About Time", San Diego compilation→
• Staring at the Sun XII2017 · "Long Way Down", San Diego compilation→
• CalAmity, The Adventure Continues2023 · co-wrote "Cowboys and Rainbows"; vocals and guitar→
• "Gotta Have Sunshine"The Sunshine Kids featuring Sierra West · written with Patricia Bahia
• "Helium"Green Oceans · written with William H. Carpenter and Tracey Graham

On screen

• Resurrection, ABC"Hold Your Fire", season 2 premiere, 28 September 2014→
• Southern Charm, Bravo"Kiss Goodbye", written with Tracey and Vance Marino, 2015

Awards and honors

• 2025Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase. AcousticMusicScene
• 2017San Diego Music Awards, Best Singer-Songwriter, nominee. NBC San Diego
• 2016President, San Diego Songwriters Guild. SDSG
• 2016One of ten songwriters chosen for Creative Lab Hawaii's Music Immersive. State of Hawaii
• 2015San Diego Music Awards, Best Singer-Songwriter. NBC San Diego
• 2014San Diego Music Awards, Best Singer-Songwriter. NBC San Diego
• 2013San Diego Songwriters Guild song contest: Platinum, "It's About Time"; Bronze, "Split the Sky". SDSG
• 2013Music Connection, 2013's Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands. Music Connection
• 2012International Songwriting Competition: finalist, Lyrics Only, "It's About Time"; semi-finalist, Adult Album Alternative ("In Your Hands") and Adult Contemporary ("It's About Time"). ISC
• 2012San Diego Songwriters Guild song contest: Gold, "Hold Your Fire". SDSG
• 2012ListenLocalSD Artist of the Week. San Diego Troubadour

Press and mentions

• 2026WECS 90.1, "Something Different": interview. Watch
• 2026Black Bear Music Fest, Harwinton CT: on the line-up as Americana singer-songwriter. Line-up
• Aug 2025Mindful Skeptic: interview. Watch
• Jul 2025AcousticMusicScene: named in Falcon Ridge's Emerging Artist Showcase. Read
• Jan 2017NBC San Diego: San Diego Music Awards nominees, Best Singer-Songwriter. Read
• Oct 2016San Diego Songwriters Guild: board of directors, with Sierra as President. Read
• 2016San Diego Songwriters Guild: 25th song contest, thanking its volunteers. Read
• Jul 2016San Diego Reader: special guest at the San Diego Indie Acoustic Original Artist Showcase, Rebecca's Coffeehouse. Read
• Jun 2016State of Hawaii: one of ten Creative Lab Hawaii Music Immersive songwriters. Read · Her bio there
• Jan 2016San Diego Reader: "Sierra West and Leaders in the Clubhouse", The Loft, UC San Diego. Read
• Oct 2015NBC San Diego: "And the San Diego Music Award Goes To…": Best Singer-Songwriter. Read
• Aug 2015NBC San Diego: 2015 nominees, Sierra for Best Singer-Songwriter and CalAmity for Best Pop. Read
• May 2015San Diego Troubadour, "For Your Information" (Bart Mendoza): review of Hold Your Fire. Read
• 2015San Diego Reader: band page. Read · CalAmity's page: Read
• Oct 2014NBC San Diego: "Local Musicians on Fire at SD Music Awards": Best Singer-Songwriter. Read
• Sep 2014ABC's Resurrection: "Hold Your Fire" in the season 2 premiere. Tunefind
• Sep 2014Section 101: her new website, launched for the Resurrection premiere. Read
• 2014Reviews of Hold Your Fire: Roots Time (Belgium), AmericanRoots (Italy, Remo Ricaldone), Songsalive!, and Country Stew on Radio Compagnie.
• Aug 2014ListenSD: San Diego Music Awards nominees, Best Singer-Songwriter. Read
• Jan 2014San Diego Reader: opening Wayne Riker's "Beatles A Through Z" at Swedenborg Hall; Merrow. Read
• Dec 2013Music Connection: "2013's Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands". Read
• Nov 2013San Diego Songwriters Guild: 22nd song contest, Platinum for "It's About Time", Bronze for "Split the Sky". Read
• Oct 2013San Diego Reader: shows at Swedenborg Hall, the Casbah, ArtLab and Lestat's Coffee House. Read
• Oct 2013Hunnypot Unlimited: joins its artist roster for film and TV. Read
• 2013International Songwriting Competition: 2012 finalists, Lyrics Only, "It's About Time". Read
• Feb 2013Reflect Films: "Hold Your Fire", video. Watch
• Jan 2013San Diego Troubadour: "San Diego Newcomer Performs Tonight at Ruby Room". Read
• Dec 2012ListenLocalSD: Artist of the Week.
• Nov 2012San Diego Songwriters Guild: 21st song contest, Gold for "Hold Your Fire". Read
• Oct 2012BroadwayWorld: "Singer/Songwriter Sierra West Earns First Out Music Award Nomination". Read
• Sep 2012BroadwayWorld: "Singer/Songwriter Sierra West Earns First HMMA Nomination". Read
• Sep 2012Midday Records: "Hold Your Fire" on Help! Our Bands Are On Fire!, a benefit album for musicians who lost their home in a Cambridge fire. Listen
• Aug 2012Club Passim: the Hold Your Fire release show, with Lloyd Thayer. Calendar
• Jul 2012Altsounds: "Boston singer-songwriter Sierra West releases EP". Read
• Jul 2012Music News Nashville: "Sierra West releases new EP Hold Your Fire August 14".
• 2012Kickstarter: "Hold Your Fire EP: Keep It Burning". See
• Oct 2011Lucky Souls Productions: live at The Outer Space, Hamden CT. Watch
• 2000sThomaston Express (Mike Chaiken), "Her Guitar Gently Plays": a feature likening her voice to Natalie Merchant's.