Louisiana Tech Concert Association is proud to host the opening concert, The Purple Hulls on Monday, October 13 at 7 p.m. in Howard Auditorium. This Bluegrass Trio Concert is free and open to the public.

Born and raised on a working family farm in deep East Texas, identical twins Penny Lea and Katy Lou Clark—known to audiences as The Purple Hulls— are celebrated for their close harmonies, hot picking, heartfelt songwriting, and their ability to connect with audiences across the United States and around the world.

Surrounded by a family heritage rich in music, the girls’ grandmother, a music educator, taught them piano and encouraged them to sing for anyone who would listen. Sundays were spent in church, where the twins learned to read music directly from the hymnal as they sang the old gospel songs that still inspire their writing today. For years, piano was the only instrument in the house, until their brother Ben returned home from college and left behind his starter banjo while upgrading to a new one. Curiosity sparked, and sometime in high school the girls began dabbling with the banjo—unaware it would open the door to their future in bluegrass. Though music was ever-present, Katy and Penny also excelled in athletics, requiring the discipline and drive that would eventually carry into their musical journey.

After high school, the twins were recruited to play basketball at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, where they were also able to enroll in one of the nation’s premier commercial music programs, known for cultivating some of the best musicians in the nation. One of the program’s most formative challenges was a monthly performance before a live studio television audience, an experience that sharpened their stage presence and prepared them for their future careers as entertainers.

After three years in West Texas, the sisters followed in their brother’s footsteps and headed to Tennessee, where they found themselves in the heart of Nashville’s thriving country scene. Katy Lou and Penny Lea began touring extensively as backing musicians for various country artists, contributing to numerous studio projects, and even gracing the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
Their journey took a pivotal turn when their older brother, “Banjo Ben” Clark left his role as band leader for Taylor Swift, and the three siblings signed on as songwriters with Sony ATV, Nashville’s largest publishing company. Together, the family carried their shared love of music into both professional publishing and performance, and during this time dubbed themselves “The Purple Hulls,” a tip of the hat to the crop they grew back home in Texas.

Their father’s illness and a nudge from the Lord eventually brought the sisters back to Texas. Being back in Texas has influenced their music in the best kind of way, while they’ve embraced a new chapter of touring that has taken them far beyond state lines, performing across the nation as well as the U.K., Scandinavia, and Europe.

Joining the duo on stage is Minnesota native and bass player extraordinaire, Sarah Mae Birkeland, who grew up in the bluegrass circuit with her family’s band before making the move to Texas in 2022 to hit the road with The Purple Hulls. Sarah Mae’s contributions on bass are key in the driving sound of the group.

To date, The Purple Hulls have released four studio albums, won numerous awards for their work, and beyond recording and touring, they co-host Banjo Ben’s Cabin Camps, where people from around the world gather in person to learn bluegrass from some of the most acclaimed musicians in the industry. Their teaching has also reached international audiences through collaborations with a university in Finland.

Now, with new original music on the horizon, The Purple Hulls continue to carry their songs across the globe. Whether playing at an international festival or in a small country church, The Purple Hulls remain united in their mission to share the joy of the music and the message to all who hear.

In addition to the concert on Monday, October 13, The Purple Hulls will also meet with students on Tuesday, October 14 at 9 a.m. in the Recital Hall, HCPA 215 on campus. The concert and the meeting with students are free and open to the public.

The LTCA season calendar can be found by searching LA Tech LTCA on the web. More information is available by contacting Dr. M. Steele Moegle, LTCA Director: mmoegle@latech.edu.