The Purple Hulls bring East Texas roots, bluegrass charm to sold-out Bowery Stage

A packed house filled The Bowery Stage on Saturday evening as East Texas bluegrass favorites The Purple Hulls delivered an intimate acoustic performance that had the audience smiling, clapping and, as one attendee joked, “setting a new record for the amount of toe-tapping in one place.”

The Aug. 1 concert featured twin sisters Katy Lou and Penny Lea Clark, along with upright bassist Sarah Mae Berkland. The trio showcased traditional bluegrass with nothing more than acoustic instruments, tight vocal harmonies and engaging storytelling.

Rather than relying on elaborate production, the performance centered on two vintage condenser microphones positioned at center stage. The classic microphones became nearly as much a part of the show as the musicians themselves, complementing the group’s timeless sound and creating the feeling of stepping back into bluegrass music’s golden era.

Throughout the evening, the sisters blended original compositions with bluegrass standards and beloved gospel hymns. Their harmonies were precise and effortless, reflecting decades of singing together.

Just as memorable was the connection they established with the audience. Katy and Penny’s relaxed humor, genuine personalities and natural stage presence made the performance feel more like an evening with old friends than a formal concert.

Born and raised on their family’s farm in deep East Texas, the Clark sisters developed a love for music at an early age. Surrounded by a musical family, they grew up singing hymns around the piano before discovering bluegrass at the Overton Bluegrass Festival. In an interview after the performance, Katy recalled that those festivals introduced the sisters to the genre that would define their careers. She said they later acquired an old banjo from an uncle and began learning bluegrass while still in high school.

After graduating from high school, the twins attended South Plains College in Levelland, where they initially balanced basketball and music before devoting themselves fully to the college’s nationally recognized commercial music program. Katy said countless hours of practice outside of class prepared them for the monthly ensemble performances that became an important part of their musical development.

After college, the sisters moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where they toured with country artists, worked at the Grand Ole Opry and wrote songs for Sony/ATV before eventually returning home to East Texas.

During the concert, the sisters shared the deeply personal story of returning home for what they expected would be a brief visit, only to learn their father had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. They spoke about how that difficult season reaffirmed the importance of faith, family and home—values that continue to shape both their lives and their music today.

Today, The Purple Hulls perform across the United States and internationally while remaining based on the family farm near Kilgore—where, fittingly, they still grow the purple hull peas that inspired the band’s name.

When asked about the future, Katy said the group plans to continue touring while beginning work on another collection of songs. She added that performing live remains at the heart of what they love most.

Berkland, who joined the group on upright bass, described traveling with the sisters as both musically rewarding and personally enjoyable. She said performing with two like-minded musicians has created lasting friendships both on and off the stage.

For those in attendance Saturday night, the concert offered more than an evening of exceptional musicianship. It served as a reminder that bluegrass, at its best, doesn’t require elaborate lighting or amplified production. Three talented musicians, acoustic instruments, and songs rooted in faith, family, and East Texas tradition were more than enough to hold a room captivated from the opening note to the final encore.