Nickel Creek was one of the hottest acts on the acoustic circuit in the early 2000s. They toured with Lyle Lovett, backed Dolly Parton and had two hit videos on CMT.
Their traditionally flavored pop-folk lyrics and acoustic licks performed by guitarist Sean Watkins, his violinist sister Sara and mandolinist Chris Thile reflected an eclectic mix of influences that included bluegrass, western classical music, jazz, and rock. The trio made acoustic roots music relevant for a new generation.
The band members met through music when their parents took them to hear the Southern California band Bluegrass Etc. at their regular weekly show at the local pizza place.
Nickel Creek formed with Chris’s father bassist Scott Thile when a bluegrass promoter thought it would be cute to have a kid’s band which resulted in the group touring festivals for a decade. Scott Thile left the group and sent the young adults on their way when the debut album hit the streets.
As individual musicians, they were always discovering new ways to hone their craft. “Musically this band never stays the same” said Thile. “We love to grow. There are moments on stage where I look over and think, ‘This is why I’ve been in this band since I was eight’… It’s so comfortable, and yet we’re all focused on bettering ourselves on a solo level. Sean and I are writing and pushing each other to come up with better stuff.” Sean and Chris were the primary composers and writers for the group.
Nickel Creek disbanded in 2007, but returned in 2014 with a new album titled A Dotted Line and 25th anniversary tour.
Nickel Creek reunited again in 2022 to perform at various events. The trio will be releasing their first album in nine years, ‘Celebrants,’ on March 24, 2023.
Each member of Nickel Creek has also taken part in many outside projects over the years. Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the American radio variety show ‘Live from Here’ (formerly ‘A Prairie Home Companion’) from 2016 to 2020. He has also released collaborative albums with world-renowned musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Brad Mehldau and Stuart Duncan as well as six studio albums with his Grammy-winning band, Punch Brothers.
Sean Watkins is a co-founder of Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, who has released three albums and maintains a long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles. Sean has also released a series of solo albums, while Sara’s extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour, as well as the Grammy-winning roots trio, I’m With Her, which she co-founded alongside Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz. Sara has released four studio albums and has contributed fiddle to recordings by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers and John Mayer.
Discography
Little Cowpoke (Choo Choo Records, 1993)
Here to There (1997)
Nickel Creek (Sugar Hill Records, 2000)
This Side (Sugar Hill Records, 2002)
Why Should the Fire Die? (Sugar Hill Records, 2005)
A Dotted Line (Nonesuch Records, 2014)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.