1989–2007, 2014–present: Nickel Creek 2007–present: Solo career 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." in 2009 Watkins signed as a solo artist with
Nonesuch Records in fall 2008 Watkins toured the United States as an opening act in 2008. and with
Robert Earl Keen around
New England in September, In 2012, she toured with
Jackson Browne as the opening act for his acoustic winter tour. 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. Produced by former
Simon Dawes guitarist
Blake Mills, it features guest appearances from
Fiona Apple and Jackson Browne. Between 2000 and 2004, Watkins and the other members of
Nickel Creek (
Chris Thile and
Sean Watkins),
Glen Phillips,
John Paul Jones, and
Pete Thomas collaborated on an EP,
Mutual Admiration Society Solo Sampler; an album,
Mutual Admiration Society (recorded in 2000); and a brief tour. 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. In January 2008,
Billboard reported a new
supergroup octet tentatively named
The Scrolls, later named Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). The octet is composed of Watkins, her brother
Sean Watkins (guitar),
Glen Phillips (guitar, vocals),
Benmont Tench (piano), Luke Bulla (fiddle),
Greg Leisz (various),
Pete Thomas (drums), and
Davey Faragher (bass). The group released their album
WPA in September 2009. Watkins is featured on
Needtobreathe's 2009 CD
The Outsiders on the track "Stones Under Rushing Water". 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. She guest hosted Keillor's show,
A Prairie Home Companion, on January 15, 2011. Watkins contributed fiddle, guitar, percussion, and vocals on
The Decemberists' 2011 tour. 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. Watkins and her brother Sean play regularly at the
Largo nightclub in Los Angeles as "
Watkins Family Hour". Keyboardist
Benmont Tench (of
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and bassist
Sebastian Steinberg (formerly of Soul Coughing) are regular participants, and other guest musicians from the Largo family generally show up as well, including
Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Don Heffington,
Greg Leisz, and former Nickel Creek bandmate
Chris Thile when he is in town. The irregular collaborations led to a 2015 album and tour under the same name. Also in 2015, Watkins toured extensively with
Sarah Jarosz and
Aoife O'Donovan (of
Crooked Still fame). The trio, who since then have played under the name
I'm With Her, hosted the radio show
A Prairie Home Companion on October 10, 2015. Watkins also performed vocals for "June & Johnny" on
Jon Foreman's 2015 EP
The Wonderlands: Darkness. 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. On June 15, 2017, she announced via Twitter that she and her husband were expecting a child in September. ==Discography==