- Nickel Creek
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Nickel Creek
Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins on the Farewell (For Now) tour in October 2007.Background information Origin Vista, California, USA Genres Progressive bluegrass
AcousticYears active 1989–2007 Labels Sugar Hill Records Associated acts Alison Krauss, Mutual Admiration Society, Punch Brothers, Switchfoot, Fiction Family Website www.nickelcreek.com Past members Chris Thile
Sara Watkins
Sean WatkinsNickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile (mandolin), Sara Watkins (fiddle) and Sean Watkins (guitar).[1] The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006. In 2003 they received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and disbanded in 2007 to pursue other musical projects.
Contents
History
The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore.[2] Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger.[2] The band name comes from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.[3]
Early days: 1989–1999
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass.[4][5][2]The oldest of the Watkins children, Sean was only twelve years old at the time.[6] At the start of Nickel Creek's history, Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments.[4][2] The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the '90s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule.[7] Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
Nickel Creek: 2000–2001
Main article: Nickel Creek (album)Nickel Creek met Alison Krauss at one of their shows and later invited her to produce their next album. According to band member Sara Watkins, the group was "thrilled" with the guidance they received from Krauss to upgrade their vocal sound and the overall "production of the CD."[8] Their eponymous release was later certified gold and platinum.[citation needed]
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000.[9] Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.[10] [11]
The band went on tour and opened eleven shows for Lyle Lovett in the summer of 2000 and appeared on Austin City Limits in January 2001 with Dolly Parton. A month later Parton invited Nickel Creek to perform as her backup band at the 2001 Grammy Awards. The trio also had a spring tour with Glen Phillips in a collaboration dubbed Mutual Admiration Society. A self-titled album was set to be released, but was delayed until 2004. Nickel Creek also opened for Vince Gill and Amy Grant in that winter.[12][13] Shortly after Nickel Creek started touring, Thile decided to leave the band to spend time with his family. Thile was replaced by bassist Byron House and in March 2001 was replaced by bassist, Derek Jones.[13]
This Side: 2002–2004
Main article: This SideIn 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs by Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.[14]
Critics responded positively to the album and a review in Allmusic said that "Thile and the Watkins siblings' originals, easily outdo the likes of folk-rockers Dave Matthews and Hootie & the Blowfish, while forging a new style to rejuvenate a genre that has always been a bit of a dark horse."[15]
This Side entered the Billboard 200 at #18 on the chart, and at #2 on the magazine's Top Country Albums chart.[16] The album was certified gold the following year by the RIAA.[17] The success of This Side earned the group a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.[11][5] The band was featured in Rolling Stone's "Best Of 2002" edition.[11]
During their 2002 and 2003 tour Nickel Creek opened five shows for John Mayer in November 2002,[18] and toured with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings earlier in the year.[19] In 2003, Nickel Creek appeared on the Béla Fleck and the Flecktones album Little Worlds.[20]
Why Should the Fire Die?: 2005
Main article: Why Should the Fire Die?In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences.[21][6] the album debuted and peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.[5]
In the summer of 2006 Nickel Creek appeared at numerous music festivals, including Bonnaroo,[22] High Sierra Music Festival, Austin City Limits,[23] SXSW,[24] Lollapalooza[25] and Star Fest.[26]
Farewell (For Now): 2006–2007
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time[27] so band members could expand their musical horizons.[27]
In November 2006 Sugar Hill released Reasons Why: The Very Best, a compilation of selected studio tracks from Nickel Creek's three latest albums, as well as two previously unreleased tracks and all of the music videos from the trio's singles.[28] Their seven-month Farewell (For Now) Tour started in April 2007 and ended in November. [29] The tour was originally intended to be called the Victory Lap Tour, but the band's managers thought that would make them sound "presumptuous and boastful".[30]
The tour featured numerous guest appearances by Glen Phillips,[31][32] Jon Brion,[33] Fiona Apple,[34][35][36][37] Bruce Molsky,[38] Bela Fleck,[36] Tom Brosseau[36] and Tift Merritt, among others.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".[39][39][40][41]
Awards and nominations
Wins
- 2000: IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year
- 2001: IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year
- 2003: Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album (This Side)
- 2006: CMT Top 10 Country Compilations of 2006 (Reasons Why: The Very Best)[28]
Nominations
- 2001: Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album (Nickel Creek)
- 2001: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Ode to a Butterfly")
- 2001: CMA Award for Best Vocal Group
- 2001: CMA Horizon Award
- 2005: Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album (Why Should the Fire Die?)
- 2005: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Scotch & Chocolate")
Discography
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
- ^ May, Caryn. "Nickel Creek dares to branch out". The Source Weekly. July 14, 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Havighurst, Craig. "Nickel Creek: Newgrass Wunderkinder". Acoustic Guitar. August 2000. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ Seida, Linda. "Chris Thile Bio on JamBase". JamBase. Retrieved December 27, 2007.
- ^ a b Quillien, Shay. "Hit-making Nickel Creek tries to catch its breath". Oakland Tribune. April 27, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
- ^ a b c Rubin, Steven. "Grammys follow Nickel Creek as sound morphs". NC Times. December 14, 2005. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ^ a b "Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins Blue Ridge Exclusive Interview". Blue Ridge. 2006. http://www.blueridgecountry.com/people/sean-watkins.html. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
- ^ "Nickel Creek: Mandolin With No Country". Paste Magazine. 2006-08-01. http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/2051/nickel_creek?page=3. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
- ^ "Sara Watkins". iBluegrass.com. 1999. Retrieved on October 13, 2007
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "CMA Awards Add McBride, Tritt & More". Billboard. October 10, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "Jackson, McBride, Keith Lead 'Flameworthy' Noms". Billboard. May 14, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ a b c Nickel Creek. "Meet The Band". Nickel Creek. June 8, 2002. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
- ^ Martens, Todd. "Grant, Gill Take Christmas On Tour". Billboard. September 21, 2001. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ a b Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins. "Nickel Creek Journals". Nickel Creek. August 17, 2000. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
- ^ Nickel Creek Tackle Bluegrass Tradition and Pop Innovation on This Side. Barnes & Noble. August 16, 2002. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Charles Spano. "This Side – Nickel Creek". Allmusic. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Martens, Todd/Ellis, Michael. "Nelly Topples The Boss At No. 1". Billboard. August 22, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ "Nickel Creek Certified Gold". CMT. September 11, 2003. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "Mayer Taps Randolph, Nickel Creek For Fall Tour". Billboard. October 25, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Sara Watkins. "Nickel Creek Journals". Nickel Creek. November 19, 2002. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "Flecktones Prep Ambitious Triple 'Worlds'". Billboard. June 12, 2003. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Cook, Dennis. "Chris Thile: Bringing In Some New Blood". JamBase. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
- ^ "Bonnaroo 2006 Lineup Announced". CMT. February 1, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ "Petty, Morrison, Nelson Top 'Austin City Limits' Bill". Billboard. May 18, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Cohen, Johnathan. "First Round Of Artists Confirmed For SXSW". Billboard. December 15, 2005. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "Chili Peppers, Kanye, Wilco Lead Lollapalooza Lineup". Billboard. March 16, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry A. "Train, Pink lead Atlanta's Star Fest". Billboard. May 17, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ a b Hasty, Katie. "Nickel Creek Going On Hiatus, Just Not Yet". Billboard. August 28, 2006. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ a b "Top 10 Country Compilations of 2006". CMT. December 22, 2006. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ "Nickel Creek Prepares First Leg of Farewell Tour". CMT. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ Argyrakis, Andy. "Interview with Sean Watkins: Roots rock/alternative country combiners Nickel Creek say "farewell" for now LiveWire. August 8, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
- ^ Jackson, Cory. "Sold out crowd says 'farewell' to Nickel Creek" Marshall Parthenon. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
- ^ Dickens, Tad. "End of the road for Nickel Creek?". The Roanoke Times. November 2, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ MacDonald, Patrick. "Bluegrass fans tell Nickel Creek "hurry back"". The Seattle Times. May 11, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ Hasty, Kate. "Apple, Nickel Creek Teaming For Tour". Billboard. May 18, 2007.
- ^ Madison, Tjames. "Fiona Apple joins Nickel Creek's 'farewell' tour". LiveDaily. May 17, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ a b c Kilgore, Kym. "Nickel Creek tours to the finish". LiveDaily. October 4, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ Madison, Tjames. "Nickel Creek & Fiona Apple – 2007 collaborative & farewell Tour Dates (Summerstage)". Brooklyn Vegan. May 17, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
- ^ "Bruce Molsky On Tour with Nickel Creek". Compass Records. October 18, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
- ^ a b John. "Nickel Creek – no DVD after all". The Bluegrass Blog. November 7, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Dollar, Steve. "Putting the 'Blue' Back in Bluegrass" The New York Sun. February 19, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
- ^ "Bluegrass group Nickel Creek says farewell (for now)". Go to Reno Tahoe. April 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
External links
- Nickel Creek's official site
- Archived Audio Featured on show 165 of WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour
- NewMusicBox cover: Chris Thile in conversation with Frank J. Oteri, October 27, 2008 (includes video)
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:- American bluegrass music groups
- American country music groups
- Musical groups from California
- Grammy Award winners
- Musical groups established in 1989
- Musical groups disestablished in 2007
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