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Nickel Creek

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Nickel Creek, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025
Nickel Creek
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1989 in Carlsbad, California, United States
FounderChris Thile, Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins
Headquarters
Carlsbad
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Nickel Creek (originally known as the Nickel Creek Band) is a prominent American bluegrass ensemble comprising Chris Thile on mandolin, along with siblings Sara Watkins playing fiddle and Sean Watkins on guitar. Established in 1989 in Carlsbad, California, the group issued six albums between 1993 and 2006. Their eponymous 2000 release, produced by Alison Krauss, attained platinum certification and garnered several nominations for both the Grammy and CMA honors.

Their fourth studio effort, This Side, secured the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Following the release of a fifth album and a greatest hits compilation, Nickel Creek declared an indefinite break after completing their 2007 Farewell (For Now) Tour.<ref>After pursuing solo endeavors, the band reunited in 2014, announcing a new album and accompanying tour.<ref>

History

The Watkins and Thile families became connected through mutual mandolin lessons with instructor John Moore; additionally, Sara Watkins was taught by Moore’s bandmate Byron Berline, whose composition inspired the band's name.<ref>

Formation and early years: 1989–99

Nickel Creek made their first appearance in 1989 at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California, with Chris’s father Scott Thile performing on string bass.<ref> At that time, Sean Watkins was only twelve years old.<ref> Initially, Chris played guitar while Sean handled the mandolin before they swapped instruments.<ref> Throughout the 1990s, the band extensively toured various bluegrass festivals while receiving homeschooling to accommodate their busy schedule.<ref> Their initial two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).

Nickel Creek: 2000–01

The band crossed paths with Alison Krauss during a live show and subsequently invited her to produce their next album. Sara Watkins expressed their excitement about Krauss’s role in enhancing their vocal arrangements and overall sound production.

This album earned them two Grammy Award nominations: one for Best Bluegrass Album and another for Best Country Instrumental with "Ode to a Butterfly." They also received nods at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award, while being recognized as one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Their music video for "The Lighthouse's Tale" was nominated for a CMT Flameworthy Video Award in the Group/Duo Video of the Year category.

In 2000, Nickel Creek toured as the opening act for Lyle Lovett and appeared on Austin City Limits in January 2001 alongside Dolly Parton. Parton invited them to serve as her backing band at that year’s Grammy Awards. During spring 2001, they toured with Glen Phillips under the collaborative project Mutual Admiration Society, though that album was not released until 2004. That winter saw them supporting both Vince Gill and Amy Grant. Shortly after touring commenced, Scott Thile departed to dedicate time to family; bassist Byron House stepped in, followed by Derek Jones joining in March 2001.

This Side: 2002–04

Released in 2002, Nickel Creek’s fourth album This Side, produced by Alison Krauss, represented a departure from traditional bluegrass by integrating indie rock and folk rock influences. The record included covers such as Pavement’s "Spit on a Stranger" and Carrie Newcomer’s "Should’ve Known Better." Critics remarked that Thile and the Watkins siblings’ original compositions surpassed those of contemporaries like Dave Matthews and Hootie & the Blowfish while revitalizing the genre.

This Side debuted at number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number two on the Top Country Albums list. It was certified gold by the RIAA in 2003. The album earned Nickel Creek a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and was featured in Rolling Stone's Best of 2002 compilation.

During their 2002–03 touring cycle, Nickel Creek opened five concerts for John Mayer in November 2002 and had earlier toured with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. In 2003, they contributed to Béla Fleck and the Flecktones’ album Little Worlds.

Why Should the Fire Die?: 2005

Main article: Why Should the Fire Die?

In 2005, Nickel Creek released their fifth studio album, Why Should the Fire Die?, which incorporated more pronounced rock and pop elements. The album reached number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Billboard bluegrass rankings. Throughout summer 2006, they performed at major festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Austin City Limits, SXSW, Lollapalooza, and Star Fest.

Farewell (For Now) Tour: 2006–07

In late 2006, Nickel Creek announced through Billboard magazine and their official website that they would halt recording activities after completing their 2007 tour to focus on individual projects. That November saw Sugar Hill Records release Reasons Why: The Very Best, a compilation featuring selected tracks from their last three albums alongside two previously unreleased songs and all associated music videos. Their seven-month Farewell (For Now) Tour spanned from April to November 2007. Initially dubbed the Victory Lap Tour, management opted to rename it to avoid any presumptuous connotations.

The tour featured guest appearances from artists such as Glen Phillips, Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Bruce Molsky, Bela Fleck, Tom Brosseau, Tift Merritt, among others—broadening its appeal and market reach.

Reunion and A Dotted Line: 2014–2020

On February 3, 2014, Nickel Creek announced plans for a new album titled A Dotted Line, produced by longtime collaborator Eric Valentine. This marked their first release under Nonesuch Records. The album was issued on April 1, 2014, in the United States coinciding with their twenty-fifth anniversary as a group. A supporting tour comprising over twenty-four shows commenced that same April.

The band occasionally reunited for performances on the radio program Live from Here, including appearances in November 2017 and February 2019. The song "Destination" from A Dotted Line was selected as the theme music for the Netflix series "Sweet Magnolias", which premiered on May 19, 2020. On October 2, 2020, they revealed plans to release their first live album titled Live From The Fox Theater, recorded during a May 19, 2014 concert at Oakland's Fox Theater.

Nickel Stream: A Livecreek Experience (2021)

On February 9, 2021, Nickel Creek launched Livecreek—a livestream concert series beginning with performances scheduled for February 21 and February 28—and continued streaming additional shows into early 2021.

Celebrants (2023)

Following intermittent activity between 2014 and 2019, Nickel Creek resumed songwriting efforts early in 2021. On January 24, 2023, they announced their fifth studio record titled Celebrants, set to be released March 24; its lead single "Strangers" was unveiled simultaneously. A supporting tour was announced on February 7, 2023. On August 27 of that year, they performed at Buckinghamshire’s Towersey Festival in England.

Awards and nominations

Wins

Nominations

Discography

Main article: Nickel Creek discography

Albums

Compilations

Live albums

  • 2021: Live from the Fox Theater


Singles

External links

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