Musician Spotlight: Nickel Creek

Nickel Creek is a band that has a great reputation and history in the industry. They were formed back in 1989 and they continued to make music through to 2007. They then decided that they would get back together in 2014 and they have been making incredible music ever since. This is a type of Americana music band that consists of Sean Watkins on the guitar, Sara Watkins on the fiddle, and Chris Thile on the mandolin. Sara and Chris are actually brother and sister, so there is certainly music that is flowing through the family.

The band got together in 1989 in Southern California. From the period of 1993 to 2006, they brought out six incredible albums. It was in 2000 that they really started to make a name for themselves when they released a self-titled album that was produced by Alison Krauss. The album reached platform status and it also earned the band a number of CMA and Grammy nominations.

The accolades and awards have not stopped coming for the band. In 2003, they won a Grammy Award for their fourth album which was called This Side. Winning the Best Contemporary Folk Album at the Grammys is certainly a massive achievement for anyone. After the fifth studio album and then releasing a compilation album, the band announced that they would be going on a hiatus indefinitely after their Farewell (For Now) Tour in 2006. This then saw the band embark on a number of different solo projects, but fans did not have to worry, as this was not the end for the group. They then reformed in 2014 and brought out a new album and announced a tour, much to everyone’s delight.

Here is the group performing “Destination”:

The album in 2014, A Dotted Line, represented the band’s first album since their Why Should the Fire Die? Album in 2005. A Dotted Line was released on the 1st of April, but it was certainly no joke. It was produced by Eric Valentine. There were a number of great tracks on the record. This included their first two initial singles, called Love of Mine and Destination. There were two covers as well, including Hayloft by Mother Mother, and also a cover of Where Is Love Now by Sam Phillips. To say that the album was well-received is probably an understatement. In fact, it received critical acclaim. If you have not heard it before, we certainly recommend that you give it a play. A lot of critics have stated that there was not one track on the 10-song album that fell short, so you won’t have to worry about hitting the skip button on your record player.

If you are interested in progressive bluegrass and Americana music that gives their guitar strings a workout, you will be delighted with Nickel Creek. If you have not heard the band before, there are lots of great albums and tracks to explore, so why not give them a listen and see what you have to think of their music?