Sara Watkins

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Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Singer/songwriter/fiddler Sara Watkins, a founding member of Nickel Creek, releases her self-titled debut solo album, produced by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and featuring eight self-penned tunes along with renditions of tracks by Jimmie Rodgers, Jon Brion, Norman Blake, and Tom Waits. Watkins "steps out with a confident stride with her debut solo release," says the BBC. Her “time in the spotlight is a triumph with her agile playing and the kind of voice that gives your goosebumps the shivers."

Description

Singer/songwriter/fiddle player Sara Watkins, who is best known as a founding member of the Grammy Award–winning, critically acclaimed, and platinum-selling band Nickel Creek, has made her self-titled debut solo album, recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville and produced by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

Sara Watkins features a wide range of colleagues and old friends, including alt-country duo Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas; colleagues from the bluegrass world like Tim O’Brien, Punch Brothers’ Chris Eldridge, Ronnie McCoury, and Rayna Gellert; and her Nickel Creek bandmates Chris Thile and Sean Watkins. Already widely respected for her musical ability on the fiddle, Watkins’ skills as a vocalist and songwriter are highlighted on this solo project. She wrote or co-wrote eight of the 14 songs on the record, which also includes renditions of tracks by Jimmie Rodgers, Jon Brion, Norman Blake, and Tom Waits.

When not on the road or in the studio with Nickel Creek, Watkins guest-starred as fiddler and/or harmony vocalist on albums by Béla Fleck, the Chieftains, Ben Lee, Dan Wilson, Richard Thompson, and Alex Woodward, among others. In addition, Watkins and her brother Sean established an informal residency called the Watkins Family Hour at the L.A. club Largo. It was there that she developed and fine-tuned the repertoire for the album: “I had lived with a lot of this material for a while. It was tested and tweaked through the years playing at Largo. Songs would come and go; these are the songs that have stuck.”

Watkins got to know John Paul Jones when they briefly toured together in 2004 in an ad hoc group called Mutual Admiration Society. He had long encouraged her to make a record of her own, offering his services. As Watkins recalls, “A couple of years ago I saw John Paul Jones at the Cambridge folk festival. He came up after Nickel Creek’s performance and said that if I didn’t let him produce my record he would never talk to me again. I was thrilled that he was that excited about it.” She continues, “John was an absolute dream to work with. I can’t imagine anyone else with whom I would have felt more confident or comfortable. I think his undeniable musicianship and kindness made the ensemble on each song sound like a band that had played together for years.”

The LP version includes the album on 12" vinyl, CD, and free MP3 download.

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by John Paul Jones
Recorded by Dave Sinko at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN and Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA
Mixed by Dave Sinko at Studio 5 in Nashville, TN
Mastered by Eric Conn at Independent Mastering LLC in Nashville, TN

Photography by Jeremy Cowart
Design by Wendy Stamberger

Nonesuch Selection Number

516987

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
Album Status
Artist Name
Sara Watkins
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Sara Watkins, vocals (1-8, 10-14), fiddle (2, 5, 6, 9-13), ukulele (7)
Greg Leisz, pedal steel (1, 5-7)
Sean Watkins, guitar (1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13), harmony vocals (1, 5, 8), acoustic guitar (14)
John Paul Jones, harmony vocals (1), bass (7, 8, 12-14), organ (11), electric piano (13), mandolin (13), piano (14)
Pete Thomas, drums (1, 5, 6, 12, 14)
Sebastian Steinberg, bass (1, 5, 6)
Benmont Tench, piano (1, 5, 12)
Byron House, bass (2)
David Rawlings, drums (2), electric guitar (8), harmony vocals (8)
Rayna Gellert, fiddle (2, 11)
Gillian Welch, electric guitar (2, 8), harmony vocals (8)
Billy Cardine, dobro (2)
Tim O’Brien, harmony vocals (2, 6)
Mark Schatz, bass (3, 9)
Michael Witcher, dobro (3)
Chris Eldridge, guitar (4), second guitar (7), harmony vocals (13)
Ronnie McCoury, mandolin  (4, 9)
Jon Brion, guitar (6, 7), electric guitar (12, 14)
Chris Thile, mandola (10)
Jenny Anne Mannan, harmony vocals (10)
Luke Bulla, harmony vocals (10, 13)
Aoife O’Donovan, harmony vocals (11, 12)
Claire Lynch, harmony vocals (11)

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597984002BUN
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
075597983999
Label
LP+CD+MP3
UPC
075597982756BUN
  • 516987

News & Reviews

  • Chris Thile had a few familiar faces—and voices—join him as guests on Live From Here broadcast from Los Angeles last weekend. Nickel Creek—Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins—reunited to perform "21st of May" and Sam Phillips's "Where Is Love Now?" from their album A Dotted Line, plus the instrumental "Scotch and Chocolate." You can watch all three performances here.

  • The Grammy Award–winning, multi-platinum selling trio Nickel Creek—Chris Thile (mandolin/vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle/vocals), and Sean Watkins (guitar/vocals)—officially reunites for the first time since its 2007 self-described “indefinite hiatus” with a US tour this spring and summer, with shows in Nashville, New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, and Oakland, as well as at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. A limited ticket pre-sale will begin Tuesday, February 4, at 10 AM local time at nickelcreek.com. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 7. Further information about a forthcoming Nickel Creek album and more on the tour will be announced shortly. You can hear a sneak peak of the album track “Destination” here.

Buy Now

  • About This Album

    Singer/songwriter/fiddle player Sara Watkins, who is best known as a founding member of the Grammy Award–winning, critically acclaimed, and platinum-selling band Nickel Creek, has made her self-titled debut solo album, recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville and produced by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

    Sara Watkins features a wide range of colleagues and old friends, including alt-country duo Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas; colleagues from the bluegrass world like Tim O’Brien, Punch Brothers’ Chris Eldridge, Ronnie McCoury, and Rayna Gellert; and her Nickel Creek bandmates Chris Thile and Sean Watkins. Already widely respected for her musical ability on the fiddle, Watkins’ skills as a vocalist and songwriter are highlighted on this solo project. She wrote or co-wrote eight of the 14 songs on the record, which also includes renditions of tracks by Jimmie Rodgers, Jon Brion, Norman Blake, and Tom Waits.

    When not on the road or in the studio with Nickel Creek, Watkins guest-starred as fiddler and/or harmony vocalist on albums by Béla Fleck, the Chieftains, Ben Lee, Dan Wilson, Richard Thompson, and Alex Woodward, among others. In addition, Watkins and her brother Sean established an informal residency called the Watkins Family Hour at the L.A. club Largo. It was there that she developed and fine-tuned the repertoire for the album: “I had lived with a lot of this material for a while. It was tested and tweaked through the years playing at Largo. Songs would come and go; these are the songs that have stuck.”

    Watkins got to know John Paul Jones when they briefly toured together in 2004 in an ad hoc group called Mutual Admiration Society. He had long encouraged her to make a record of her own, offering his services. As Watkins recalls, “A couple of years ago I saw John Paul Jones at the Cambridge folk festival. He came up after Nickel Creek’s performance and said that if I didn’t let him produce my record he would never talk to me again. I was thrilled that he was that excited about it.” She continues, “John was an absolute dream to work with. I can’t imagine anyone else with whom I would have felt more confident or comfortable. I think his undeniable musicianship and kindness made the ensemble on each song sound like a band that had played together for years.”

    The LP version includes the album on 12" vinyl, CD, and free MP3 download.

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Sara Watkins, vocals (1-8, 10-14), fiddle (2, 5, 6, 9-13), ukulele (7)
    Greg Leisz, pedal steel (1, 5-7)
    Sean Watkins, guitar (1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13), harmony vocals (1, 5, 8), acoustic guitar (14)
    John Paul Jones, harmony vocals (1), bass (7, 8, 12-14), organ (11), electric piano (13), mandolin (13), piano (14)
    Pete Thomas, drums (1, 5, 6, 12, 14)
    Sebastian Steinberg, bass (1, 5, 6)
    Benmont Tench, piano (1, 5, 12)
    Byron House, bass (2)
    David Rawlings, drums (2), electric guitar (8), harmony vocals (8)
    Rayna Gellert, fiddle (2, 11)
    Gillian Welch, electric guitar (2, 8), harmony vocals (8)
    Billy Cardine, dobro (2)
    Tim O’Brien, harmony vocals (2, 6)
    Mark Schatz, bass (3, 9)
    Michael Witcher, dobro (3)
    Chris Eldridge, guitar (4), second guitar (7), harmony vocals (13)
    Ronnie McCoury, mandolin  (4, 9)
    Jon Brion, guitar (6, 7), electric guitar (12, 14)
    Chris Thile, mandola (10)
    Jenny Anne Mannan, harmony vocals (10)
    Luke Bulla, harmony vocals (10, 13)
    Aoife O’Donovan, harmony vocals (11, 12)
    Claire Lynch, harmony vocals (11)

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by John Paul Jones
    Recorded by Dave Sinko at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN and Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA
    Mixed by Dave Sinko at Studio 5 in Nashville, TN
    Mastered by Eric Conn at Independent Mastering LLC in Nashville, TN

    Photography by Jeremy Cowart
    Design by Wendy Stamberger