Bob Harris Country - 09/04/2009

Bob’s session guest has appeared on the show several times before as one third of groundbreaking ‘nu-grass’ group Nickel Creek. This week Sara Watkins releases her debut solo album and she performs songs from it on tonight’s programme. Fiddler player and vocalist Sara Watkins formed Nickel Creek with her guitarist brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile in 1989 when she was only seven years old. They became regulars on the festival circuit throughout the 1990s and in 1998 were signed to Sugar Hill records, releasing their Alison Krauss produced album in 2000. The album fused traditional bluegrass with jazz, classical and rock influences and helped to kick start a progressive bluegrass movement which continues today. Two more albums followed before the band split in 2006 to focus on solo projects. Sara’s self titled debut features contributions from her Nickel Creek band mates along with roots revival duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings