Sara Watkins

Sara Watkins teaches “Intro to Bluegrass Fiddle” accompanied by her brother, Sean, on guitar. The lesson is aimed at beginning to intermediate-level players and starts with the very basics of the bluegrass sound and then introduce the techniques and sounds that give contemporary, progressive bluegrass music its distinctive appeal. No previous bluegrass experience is necessary to enjoy these lessons.

Sara’s lesson begins with a quick review of basic violin technique (e.g., how to hold your hands, how to achieve correct bow pressure) and then moves on to teach the sounds and techniques characteristic of the bluegrass tradition such as how to use drone tones, how to add bluegrass embellishments and how to improvise in a bluegrass style. Over the course of the lesson, Sara teaches four traditional songs— "Red-Haired Boy", "Hector the Hero", "Booth Shot Lincoln" and “Arkansas Traveler"— and then finishes with a rousing rendition of her own composition, "Jefferson."

Sara demonstrates each piece at both slow and fast tempos, accompanied by complete transcriptions synchronized to Sara’s playing. Sara’s brother, Sean, accompanies Sara on guitar throughout the lesson, providing a backing track that you can play along with when you are ready to play each piece on your own.

Sean and Sara were founding members of the band, Nickel Creek, with Sara on violin, Sean on guitar, and Chris Thile on mandolin. Nickel Creek sold more than 2 million records and won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2007 in addition to two other Grammy nominations for Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental. The group was widely seen as one of the most influential and creative forces in contemporary, progressive bluegrass/folk music.

In recent years, Sean has released three solo albums on Sugar Hill records and teamed up with Switchfoot singer, Jon Foreman, to form the duo band Fiction Family. They released an album in January 2009 on ATO Records and are currently working on album #2. Sean is also one of the founding members of the band experimental super group WPA.

Sara, meanwhile, released her first solo studio album in 2009 on Nonesuch records, produced by John Paul Jones. She most recently joined the Decemberists on tour as a guest band member, has been featured on two John Prine albums and is a frequent guest host for Prairie Home Companion’s American Public Media Show.

Both Sara and Sean will be playing with the Blind Boys of Alabama this fall.

Alongside all of the aforementioned, for the last 9 years, Sean and Sara have had a monthly residency at the Hollywood club, Largo. Their show, the Watkins Family Hour, has become a large part of the thriving music scene that revolves around Largo and often it features regular special guests Jackson Browne, Fiona Apple, Greg Leisz, and Benmont Tench, just to name a few. Sean’s session work resume includes playing guitar and singing on records by notable artist such as Dolly Parton, Lyle Lovett, the Chieftains, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Hank Williams Jr., and Ron Block.