Nickel Creek

Biography

Nickel Creek (formerly known as the Nickel Creek Band) is an American bluegrass band consisting of Chris Thile (mandolin), and siblings Sara Watkins (fiddle) and Sean Watkins (guitar). Formed in 1989 in Carlsbad, California, they released six albums between 1993 and 2006. The band broke out in 2000 with a platinum-selling self-titled album produced by Alison Krauss, earning a number of Grammy and CMA nominations.
Their fourth album "This Side×This Side13 August 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Smoothie Song3:212Spit on a Stranger2:353Speak4:014Hanging By a Thread4:075I Should’ve Known Better4:286This Side3:337Green and Gray3:378Seven Wonders4:109House Carpenter5:3110Beauty and the Mess2:5211Sabra Girl4:0412Young3:3013Brand New Sidewalk4:17" won a 2003 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. After a fifth studio album and a compilation album, the band announced an indefinite hiatus at the conclusion of their 2007 Farewell (For Now) Tour. After numerous solo projects from the band members, Nickel Creek reformed in 2014 announcing new album and subsequent tour.

History

The Watkins and Thile families met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name comes from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara's fiddle instructor.

Early days: 1989–99

Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California, in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. The oldest of the Watkins children, Sean was only twelve years old at the time. At the start of Nickel Creek's history, Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were homeschooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke×Little Cowpoke31 December 1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Ride Cowboy Ride2:572Pecos Bill3:343I’m an Old Cowhand2:514Chant of the Wanderer2:455I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart2:516Back in the Saddle Again2:337Home on the Range3:138Git Along Little Dogies3:049Deep in the Heart of Texas2:2610Don’t Fence Me In2:4611Happy Trails2:31 (1993) and Here to There×Here to There1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Here to There2:242You Don't Have to Move That Mountain2:583Found Soul3:504Old Cold Coffee on the Dashboard5:295He Will Listen to You4:146A Simple Song for Salty the Singing Seaslug2:387Moonfleet Beach5:288Natural Kind of Love3:459The Narrow Way3:0110Cross the Bridge3:47 (1997).

Nickel Creek: 2000–01

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."
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 Country Music 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. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale×The Lighthouse's Tale2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1The Lighthouse’s Tale (radio edit)3:582The Fox (live)5:113Let It Fall (live)6:184Video: The Lighthouse’s Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
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 for release, but was delayed until 2004. Nickel Creek also opened for Vince Gill and Amy Grant that winter. Shortly after Nickel Creek began touring, Scott Thile decided to leave the band to spend time with his family. Bassist Byron House took his place; House was replaced by bassist Derek Jones in March 2001.

This Side: 2002–04

In 2002, the band released their fourth album, This Side×This Side13 August 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Smoothie Song3:212Spit on a Stranger2:353Speak4:014Hanging By a Thread4:075I Should’ve Known Better4:286This Side3:337Green and Gray3:378Seven Wonders4:109House Carpenter5:3110Beauty and the Mess2:5211Sabra Girl4:0412Young3:3013Brand New Sidewalk4:17, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous, purely bluegrass releases. The core bluegrass influence remained, but with other genres including indie rock and folk rock and they included cover songs—"Spit on a Stranger×Spit on a Stranger2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Spit on a Stranger2:342Spit on a Stranger (live version: single Mic Recording)2:35" by Pavement and "I Should've Known Better" by Carrie Newcomer. 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."
This Side entered the Billboard 200 at No. 18 on the chart, and at No. 2 on the magazine's Top Country Albums chart. The album was certified gold in 2003 by the RIAA. The success of This Side earned the group a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The band was featured in Rolling Stone's "Best Of 2002" edition.
During their 2002 and 2003 tour, Nickel Creek opened five shows for John Mayer in November 2002, and toured with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings earlier in the year. In 2003, Nickel Creek appeared on the Béla Fleck and the Flecktones album Little Worlds.

Why Should the Fire Die?: 2005

In 2005, the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die?×Why Should the Fire Die?9 August 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1When in Rome4:162Somebody More Like You3:013Jealous of the Moon4:424Scotch & Chocolate3:085Can’t Complain5:356Tomorrow Is a Long Time3:367Eveline3:118Stumptown1:449Anthony1:5610Best of Luck3:2311Doubting Thomas3:1912First and Last Waltz1:5413Helena4:4614Why Should the Fire Die?2:51 with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart. In the summer of 2006, Nickel Creek appeared at numerous music festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Austin City Limits, SXSW, Lollapalooza and Star Fest.

Farewell (For Now) Tour: 2006–07

In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer record as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period so band members could expand their musical horizons.

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. Their seven-month Farewell (For Now) Tour started in April 2007 and ended in November. The tour was originally to be called the Victory Lap Tour, but the band's managers thought that would sound "presumptuous and boastful."
The tour featured guest appearances by Glen Phillips, Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Bruce Molsky, Bela Fleck, Tom Brosseau and Tift Merritt, among others.

Reunion and A Dotted Line: 2014–2020

The band announced on February 3, 2014, that they would release a new album in the spring of 2014. Titled A Dotted Line, the album was produced by previous collaborator Eric Valentine and marked the group's first release on Nonesuch Records. Released on April 1, 2014, in the United States, the album coincided with the group's 25th anniversary. A subsequent tour began in April 2014 with over two dozen dates.
Nickel Creek has occasionally reunited to perform on the radio show Live from Here (hosted by Thile), including once in November 2017 and again in February 2019. A Dotted Line's "Destination×Destination12 March 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Destination3:512Love of Mine4:42" was selected as the theme song for the Netflix original series, "Sweet Magnolias." The series premiered on May 19, 2020. On October 2, 2020, the band announced the release of their debut live album, Live From The Fox Theater×Live From the Fox Theater2 October 2020 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks1Rest of My Life4:182Scotch & Chocolate3:353This Side4:104Destination4:175Jealous of the Moon5:296Smoothie Song4:527Reasons Why5:04821st of May2:599When in Rome4:4910Tomorrow Is a Long Time4:1511Ode to a Butterfly7:0812You Don't Know What's Going On5:5113Somebody More Like You3:1914The Lighthouse's Tale5:5415Anthony9:1116Elephant in the Corn5:4617When You Come Back Down5:0418Hayloft3:3119The Fox6:2020Helena6:5121Cuckoo's Nest2:4922Where Is Love Now5:22, recorded on May 19, 2014, at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA .

Nickel Stream: A Livecreek Experience (2021)

On February 9, 2021, Nickel Creek announced a series of livestream concerts on Feb. 21 and 28 as the start of a new series known as Livecreek. They continued to release other streams throughout early 2021.

Celebrants (2023)

After intermittent performances between 2014 and 2019, Nickel Creek began writing new material in early 2021. On January 24, 2023, Nickel Creek announced a new album titled Celebrants×Celebrants24 March 2023 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Celebrants3:242Strangers4:443Water Under the Bridge, Part 11:094The Meadow3:305Thinnest Wall3:086Going Out…3:047Holding Pattern3:068Where the Long Line Leads3:259Goddamned Saint4:4410Stone's Throw3:1111Goddamned Saint (reprise)0:5212From the Beach3:2713To the Airport4:0314…Despite the Weather4:0315Hollywood Ending4:1716New Blood3:4017Water Under the Bridge, Part 21:0518Failure Isn't Forever5:01, slated for release on March 24, 2023. The lead single "Strangers" was released the day the album was announced. They then announced a tour on February 7, 2023. On 27 August 2023 they played Towersey Festival in Buckingham, England.

Wins

2000: IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year
2001: IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year
2002: Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album (This Side×This Side13 August 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Smoothie Song3:212Spit on a Stranger2:353Speak4:014Hanging By a Thread4:075I Should’ve Known Better4:286This Side3:337Green and Gray3:378Seven Wonders4:109House Carpenter5:3110Beauty and the Mess2:5211Sabra Girl4:0412Young3:3013Brand New Sidewalk4:17)
2006: CMT Top 10 Country Compilations of 2006 (Reasons Why: The Very Best)
2023: Americana Trailblazer Award

Nominations

2001: Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album (Nickel Creek)
2001: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Ode to a Butterfly")
2001: CMA Horizon Award
2001: Country Music Association Award for Vocal Group of the Year
2005: Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album (Why Should the Fire Die?×Why Should the Fire Die?9 August 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1When in Rome4:162Somebody More Like You3:013Jealous of the Moon4:424Scotch & Chocolate3:085Can’t Complain5:356Tomorrow Is a Long Time3:367Eveline3:118Stumptown1:449Anthony1:5610Best of Luck3:2311Doubting Thomas3:1912First and Last Waltz1:5413Helena4:4614Why Should the Fire Die?2:51)
2005: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Scotch & Chocolate")
2015: Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance ("Destination×Destination12 March 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Destination3:512Love of Mine4:42")
2015: Grammy Award for Best Americana Album (A Dotted Line×A Dotted Line31 March 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Rest of My Life3:402Destination3:513Elsie2:334Christmas Eve4:235Hayloft3:18621st of May2:477Love of Mine4:428Elephant in the Corn5:109You Don’t Know What’s Going On2:5010Where Is Love Now4:44)
2023: Americana Music Award for Duo/Group of the Year
2024: Grammy Award for Best Folk Album (Celebrants×Celebrants24 March 2023 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Celebrants3:242Strangers4:443Water Under the Bridge, Part 11:094The Meadow3:305Thinnest Wall3:086Going Out…3:047Holding Pattern3:068Where the Long Line Leads3:259Goddamned Saint4:4410Stone's Throw3:1111Goddamned Saint (reprise)0:5212From the Beach3:2713To the Airport4:0314…Despite the Weather4:0315Hollywood Ending4:1716New Blood3:4017Water Under the Bridge, Part 21:0518Failure Isn't Forever5:01)

Albums

1993: Little Cowpoke
1997: Here to There
2000: Nickel Creek
2002: This Side
2005: Why Should the Fire Die?
2014: A Dotted Line
2023: Celebrants

Singles

2001: "When You Come Back Down×When You Come Back Down2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1When You Come Back Down3:48"
2001: "The Lighthouse's Tale×The Lighthouse's Tale2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1The Lighthouse’s Tale (radio edit)3:582The Fox (live)5:113Let It Fall (live)6:184Video: The Lighthouse’s Tale"
2002: "Reasons Why"
2003: "This Side×This Side13 August 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Smoothie Song3:212Spit on a Stranger2:353Speak4:014Hanging By a Thread4:075I Should’ve Known Better4:286This Side3:337Green and Gray3:378Seven Wonders4:109House Carpenter5:3110Beauty and the Mess2:5211Sabra Girl4:0412Young3:3013Brand New Sidewalk4:17"
2003: "Speak"
2003: "Smoothie Song"
2005: "When in Rome×When in Rome2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1When in Rome3:28"
2014: "Destination×Destination12 March 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Destination3:512Love of Mine4:42"
2023: "Strangers"
2023: "Holding Pattern"
2023: "Where the Long Line Leads"