Sara Ullrika Watkins (born June 8, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1989 as the fiddler of Nickel Creek, the progressive bluegrass group she formed with her brother Sean and mandolinistChris Thile. In addition to singing and fiddling, Watkins also plays the ukulele and the guitar, and also played percussion while touring with the Decemberists. In 2012, she and her brother played with Jackson Browne during his "I'll Do Anything" acoustic tour.
In late 2005, Watkins stated in a PopMatters interview when discussing her first solo-written recorded song, "Anthony", that she "definitely [makes] the effort [to write more], but it's something that doesn't come too easy for me. Nor does it come really easy for the guys, I think they've just been doing it for a very long time."[4]
Watkins signed as a solo artist with Nonesuch Records in fall 2008[3] and released her self-titled debut solo album on April 7, 2009. Watkins started recording the album in February 2008, and it was jointly recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles.[5]Sara Watkins was produced by bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame, who first performed with Watkins on a Mutual Admiration Society tour in 2004.[5]
In September 2011, Watkins indicated via Twitter that she would begin work on a second album in the fall of 2011. In May 2012, Watkins released her second solo album, Sun Midnight Sun, again on Nonesuch Records.[10] Produced by former Simon Dawes guitarist Blake Mills, it features guest appearances from Fiona Apple and Jackson Browne.[10]
The 2007 documentary film Arctic Tale featured a song by Watkins and musician Grant-Lee Phillips, titled "Song of the North (Beneath the Sun)". Watkins lent her vocal talents to the film alongside other performers such as Aimee Mann and Brian Wilson.[13]
In late January and early February 2010, Watkins undertook a short tour with Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain in Scotland and England under the "Transatlantic Sessions" banner, culminating in a performance in the Royal Festival Hall in London on February 6, 2010. In June 2010, Watkins appeared on the Nerdist podcast as a musical guest, performing her best-known solo song, "Long Hot Summer Days" (a John Hartford cover). Later that summer, she participated in the Summer Love Tour with Garrison Keillor in venues across the United States.[14] She guest hosted Keillor's show, A Prairie Home Companion, on January 15, 2011.[15] Watkins contributed fiddle, guitar, percussion, and vocals on The Decemberists' 2011 tour.[16] Also in 2011, she (and her brother Sean) began to perform as a musician and singer in the humor/retro-radio podcast "Thrilling Adventure Hour".
Watkins played violin and sang on "A Face To Call Home" on John Mayer's 2012 album Born and Raised. During 2012 and 2013, she toured with Jackson Browne, both as an opening act and accompanying him during the performance.
In 2020, she played fiddle on Phoebe Bridgers's record Punisher, on track 10 "Graceland Too".
In 2021, she played fiddle on The Killers's record Pressure Machine (Tracks: West Fields, Cody, Pressure Machine) and violin on In Another Life.
Personal life
On August 16, 2008, Watkins married Todd Cooper in her parents' backyard in Vista, California.[7][20] On June 15, 2017, she announced via Twitter that she and her husband were expecting a child in September.[21]