Sara Watkins

At 29, Sara Watkins is already a wizened veteran of the folk music scene. She started playing fiddle as a Californian kid, joining with her brother, Sean, and Chris Thile in performances at a local pizza restaurant that featured live music. The trio eventually became Nickel Creek, perhaps the best known of the next generation of progressive bluegrass bands. Nickel Creek released its first CD in 1993, when Sara was only 12. After international success that included building a major fan following and a Grammy Award for 2002’s “This Side,” the trio drifted apart into a variety of projects: Chris with The Punch Brothers, Sean with Fiction Family and Sara and Sean with WPA. Sara also spent time touring with Garrison Keillor of “A Prairie Home Companion” on his recent Summer Love Tour. Now, she is out on her own, inviting the audience to help her discover Sara Watkins, the solo artist. Listen to Jim Blum’s interview with Sara and Sean Watkins (interview link below the videos.)