- Sara Watkins
-
Sara Watkins 
Sara performing at Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2009Background information Birth name Sara Ullrika Watkins[1] Born June 8, 1981 Origin Vista, California, United States Genres Bluegrass, folk, country Occupations Singer-songwriter Instruments Fiddle, ukulele, guitar[2] Years active 1989–present Labels Nonesuch Records (2008–present)
Sugar Hill Records (2000–2008)Associated acts Nickel Creek, Mutual Admiration Society, Works Progress Administration, The Decemberists Website sarawatkins.com Sara Ullrika Watkins (born June 8, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1999 as the fiddler of the progressive bluegrass group Nickel Creek, which consisted of herself, her elder brother Sean, and mandolinist Chris Thile. As a band, they are notable for three wide-released albums: Nickel Creek, This Side, and Why Should the Fire Die?. Aside from singing and fiddling, Watkins also plays the ukulele and the guitar.
With Nickel Creek, Watkins has released five studio albums, one compilation album, and seven singles. Nickel Creek is currently on hiatus to branch off into new projects, and Watkins is pursuing a solo career, having released her debut, Sara Watkins, on Nonesuch Records on April 7, 2009.[3]
Contents
Biography
1989-2007: Nickel Creek
Main article: Nickel Creek2007-Present: Solo career
File:Sara Watkins.jpgIn late 2005, Watkins stated in a PopMatters interview when discussing her first solo-written recorded song, "Anthony", that she "definitely [makes] the effort [to write more], but it's something that doesn't come too easy for me. Nor does it come really easy for the guys, I think they've just been doing it for a very long time."[4]
Watkins signed as a solo artist with Nonesuch Records in fall 2008[3] and released her self-titled debut solo album on April 7, 2009. Watkins started recording the album in February 2008, and it was jointly recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles.[5] Sara Watkins was produced by bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame, who first performed with Watkins on a Mutual Admiration Society tour in 2004.[5]
Watkins toured the United States as an opening in the spring and fall of 2008.[5] She performed short tours as an opening act for singer-songwriter Tift Merritt along the West Coast in March and April[6] and with Robert Earl Keen around New England in September,[7] as well as doing a 17-date tour with Donavon Frankenreiter in October. On April 14, 2009, she appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, with Jones on bass, Questlove of The Roots on drums, and her brother Sean Watkins on guitar. She has also performed on A Prairie Home Companion at the Minnesota State Fair and the Fitzgerald Theater and at the Alaska State Fair on August 28, 2011.[8][9]
Other projects
In 2002, Watkins starred in an advertisement for cell phone provider Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility) alongside her former fiddle teacher Dennis Caplinger, as well as other prominent bluegrass artists.[10][11] Los Angeles session musician Gabe Witcher was originally offered the gig, but was asked to back out because of a casting desire for a "female fiddler."[10]
The 2007 documentary film Arctic Tale featured a song by Watkins and musician Grant-Lee Phillips, titled "Song of the North (Beneath the Sun)." Watkins lent her vocal talents to be used in the film alongside other performers such as Aimee Mann and Brian Wilson.[12]
In January 2008, it was reported by Billboard that a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls, but now officially named Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). The octet is composed of Watkins, her brother Sean Watkins (guitar), Glen Phillips (guitar, vocals), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Greg Leisz (various), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). The group planned to have an album out in early 2009.[13][dated info]
She is featured on Needtobreathe's new CD The Outsiders on the track "Stones Under Rushing Water."
In late January and early February 2010 she undertook a short tour with Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain in Scotland and England under the "Transatlantic Sessions" banner culminating in a show-stopping performance in the Royal Festival Hall in London on 6 February. In June 2010, Sara appeared on the Nerdist podcast as a musical guest, performing her best-known solo song, Long Hot Summer Days. Later that summer, she participated in the Summer Love Tour with Garrison Keillor in venues across the United States. [2] She guest hosted Keillor's show A Prairie Home Companion on January 15, 2011.[14]
Watkins contributed fiddle and vocals on The Decemberists' 2011 tour.[15]
In September 2011, Watkins indicated via Twitter that she would begin work on a second album in the Fall of 2011.
Personal life
On August 16, 2008, Watkins married her boyfriend, Apple Inc. employee Todd Cooper, in her parents' backyard in Vista, California.[7][16]
Discography
Solo career
Studio albums
- 2009: Sara Watkins
With Nickel Creek
Main article: Nickel Creek discographyAlbums
- 1993: Little Cowpoke
- 1997: Here to There
- 2000: Nickel Creek
- 2002: This Side
- 2005: Why Should the Fire Die?
Compilations
- 2006: Reasons Why: The Very Best
Singles
- 2001: "When You Come Back Down"
- 2001: "The Lighthouse's Tale"
- 2002: "Reasons Why"
- 2003: "This Side"
- 2003: "Speak"
- 2003: "Smoothie Song"
- 2005: "When In Rome"
References
- ^ "Watkins, Sara Ullrika". ASCAP.com. http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=1607645&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=20&start=1. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
- ^ Watkins, Sara. "getting ready... ". MySpace. January 21, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
- ^ a b "Nonesuch Signs Sara Watkins". Nonesuch Records. November 25, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
- ^ Tranter, Nikki. "Understanding and Ability". PopMatters. November 18, 2005. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
- ^ a b c Dickens, Tad. "End of the road for Nickel Creek?". The Roanoke Times. November 2, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
- ^ "Nickel Creek members' tours stop in NC". Triangle Music. January 24, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
- ^ a b "Sept - Northampton, MA". sarawatkins.com. September 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
- ^ http://www.twincities.com/ci_15989751?nclick_check=1
- ^ http://origin-prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2010/10/23/
- ^ a b "A Most Cingular Sensation". Wright For You. June 2002. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
- ^ "Brad Davis, Tim May & John Moore". Walnut Valley Festival. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
- ^ "Arctic Tale [Original Soundtrack]: Credits". MSN. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
- ^ Graff, Gary. "Heartbreakers, Imposters, Nickel Creekers Make The Scrolls" Billboard. January 18, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.decemberists.com/news/the-decemberists-news-1-4-10/
- ^ "Summer Is Almost Over...". glenphillips.com. August 24, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
External links
Interviews
Albums: Little Cowpoke • Here to There • Nickel Creek • This Side • Why Should the Fire Die? • Reasons Why: The Very BestSingles: "When You Come Back Down" • "The Lighthouse's Tale" • "Reasons Why" • "This Side" • "Speak" • "Smoothie Song" • "When in Rome"Related articles Discography • Punch Brothers • Works Progress Administration • Fiction Family • Mutual Admiration SocietyCategories:- 1981 births
- Living people
- American bluegrass fiddlers
- American female singers
- Live Music Archive artists
- Nickel Creek members
- People from Vista, California
- People from San Diego County, California
- Songwriters from California
- Ukulele players
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
