Sean Watkins
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This article's introduction section may not adequately summarize its contents. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (September 2009) |
| Sean Watkins | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sean Charles Watkins |
| Born | February 18, 1977 |
| Origin | Vista, California, United States |
| Genres | Progressive bluegrass, folk, country |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, mandolin, ukulele, bouzouki |
| Years active | 1994 - Present |
| Labels | ATO Records Sugar Hill Records |
| Associated acts | Nickel Creek, Fiction Family, Works Progress Administration, Mutual Admiration Society, Sara Watkins, Switchfoot |
| Website | seanwatkins.com |
Sean Charles Watkins [1] (born February 18, 1977) is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is a member of the contemporary folk band Nickel Creek, the duo Fiction Family and the supergroup Works Progress Administration.
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[edit] Career
[edit] Nickel Creek
Sean Watkins began his tenure with Nickel Creek playing mandolin, but later switched to guitar. The band has released three albums and a CD composed of their hits (called Reasons Why: The Very Best) and won a Grammy for This Side -- a coveted trophy that Watkins reportedly put on top of his toilet at home. Explaining the somewhat odd situation, Watkins said that "it seems like a humble place. I didn't want to put it out in plain view of my house. I didn't feel like displaying it right when you walk in. It's a nice crown for the porcelain." [2] In addition to playing with Nickel Creek, Watkins has released 3 solo albums and appeared on several others. Of this experience, Watkins has said, "I've learned now to look back to music that has lasted through the years and to appreciate the timeless value that it has."
As a solo musician, his early material was contemporary bluegrass, but he has since incorporated other influences into his music (especially indie rock). Watkins' solo music career seems to reflect Nickel Creek's: turning from traditional bluegrass songs to indie rock with bluegrass instrumentation. He is the oldest member of Nickel Creek. Sean qualified for the National Flatpicking Championship in 1993 at age 16, and "My first instrument was the piano when I was six", Sean recalled. "I took classic instruction for seven years, but three years into that I discovered bluegrass music, through my piano teacher's son, who had a bluegrass band that played every Saturday night at a pizza place in Carlsbad. I really got into it, and when Sara Watkins and I met Chris [Thile], we started playing with him on Saturday nights too."
His sister Sara Watkins, also a member of Nickel Creek, plays violin and sings background vocals on the two latest of his three solo albums. In 2004, Nickel Creek participated in a project dubbed Mutual Admiration Society, a collaboration with former Toad The Wet Sprocket singer Glen Phillips. Sean and Sara are also part of the 2007 soundtrack for the psychological thriller Bug with the track "No Way to Live".
[edit] Current projects
In 2006, Sean and Switchfoot member Jon Foreman started a collaborating duo called "The Real SeanJon".[3] A full length LP, titled Betrayal, will be released in 2008.[4] In March 2008, the duo announced that the had changed their band name to "Fiction Family". In a spring 2008 interview, Jon Foreman said that the album would have a summer 2008 release and the duo was considering having the album be distributed by Starbucks.[5] However, a September 2008 press release by Nickel Creek confirmed that the album, Fiction Family, is to be released on January 20, 2009, on ATO Records.[6]
In January 2008, it was reported by Billboard that a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls had formed, now known officially as Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). The octet is composed of Watkins, his sister Sara Watkins (fiddle), Glen Phillips (guitar, vocals), Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Greg Leisz (various), Pete Thomas (drums), and Davey Faragher (bass). The group will release their debut album on September 15 2009.
In addition, Watkins plans to release what he calls "15 minutes of noise" as a digital download on his website. He said that the final product was "very strange",[4] and that there would "be some cool art to go with it".[7]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo
| Statistics | Singles |
|---|---|
Let It Fall
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Singles Released
None |
| Statistics | Singles |
26 Miles
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Singles Released
None |
| Statistics | Singles |
Blinders On
|
Singles Released
None |
[edit] Nickel Creek
[edit] Fiction Family
[edit] References
- ^ Sean Charles Watkins Writing Credits at ASCAP.com
- ^ Million-selling trio Nickel Creek gives bluegrass a facelift
- ^ Nickel Creek Official Website
- ^ a b Watkins, Sean. "a very long blog about what i'm up to". MySpace. January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
- ^ "Switchfoot – 02.24.08". Mammoth Press. March 19, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
- ^ "update on everything Nickel Creek". nickelcreek.com. September 15, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
- ^ Watkins, Sean. "about the "15 minutes of noise" and my string quartet.". MySpace. January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Sean's website
- Nickel Creek's website
- the MAS website
- The Real SeanJon's website
- LAist Interview with Sean Watkins
- Fiction Family Website
- Works Progress Administration website
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