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Walnut Valley Festival ::
Nickel Creek flows with some fame
By Rex Flottman
RockKansas guest columnist
One of the most exciting new acoustic groups to appear on the national scene in years will be returning to Winfield and the 30th annual Walnut Valley Festival this September. Nickel Creek began in San Diego California where they met when their parents took them to hear bluegrass music, being played at a local pizza parlor.
Chris Thile and Sean Watkins were already studying mandolin and Sara Watkins was learning to master the fiddle. They would sit there listening to the music, and one day decided “they could play that stuff”, and play it they have.
As they formed their band, they began traveling to different music festivals around the country. Sara took the Arizona State Fiddle Championship at age 15; Sean at the ripe old age of 16 was a finalist at Winfield's Walnut Valley Festival in the mandolin and flatpicking guitar contests, and Chris has been a finalist for the IBMA's Mandolinist of the Year for the past four years.
As a band, they won the Southwest regional division of the Pizza Hut International Bluegrass Band Championship in 1994. Since that time they have built an enthusiastic following through appearances at major festivals, concerts, radio, and countless spots on television.
The band, with all its members between 19 to 23 years of age, is composed of Chris Thile (mandolin, bouzouki, banjo & vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle & vocals), Sean Watkins (guitar, mandolin & vocals), have been playing together for over 12 years. They have developed exquisite instrumental technique far beyond their youth, skills that have provided them a myriad of opportunities.
Currently they have been seen in music videos featuring songs from their latest self titled CD. Sara and Chris are included in a recent video with Dolly Parton. Chris has been known to show up on national television, performing in all-star bands on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Entertainment programs are not the only folks taking notice, Nickel Creek has recently taped spots for “CNN’s Showbiz Today” and “CBS Sunday Morning”. In the print media, they have been reported recently in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The New York Times, and even Time Magazine. In spite of a schedule that keeps the band on the road a great deal of the time, members Chris Thile and Sean Watkins have even found time to record solo projects. Chris’ CD should be out this September and is yet to be titled. Sean released his first solo project early this year on Sugar Hill Records.
The recording, titled “Let It Fall” has received stellar reviews form the critics, and showcases Sean’s great song-writing talents as well as powerful guitar skills. “Let It Fall” also dynamic.inc top acoustic players, Jerry Douglas and Stuart Duncan. Also included on a number of tracks you will find sister Sara on fiddle and band-mate, Chris on the mandolin.
During August until their arrival at Winfield on September 15th, Nickel Creek will have performed 19 concerts in eleven different states.
They will be welcomed by Walnut Valley fans who have followed their rise to success since 1991, when they began making trips to Winfield as youngsters just getting started. Nickel Creek's sound is based in bluegrass and modern folk, but has a unique sound all their own.
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