Nickel Creek mounts spring road trip

Acoustic trio Nickel Creek, hot off its recent GRAMMY® win, sets out next week on a headlining run that stretches into mid June.

The group--whose music fuses bluegrass, country and folk--is supporting its sophomore release, last year's "This Side." The set recently garnered the band a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

Group member Sara Watkins (strings, vocals), in a journal entry posted on the band's website, described the experience of being in the audience at the GRAMMYs when the award presenters announced her band.

" ... [W]e heard 'This...' at which moment I thought, 'That's funny, I don't remember one of the nominees starting with "This."' Then they said '...Side' at which moment I thought 'That's funny, I'm on a record called This Siiiii...HOLY CRAP!!!' Then there was lots of jumping and running and hugging with confused joy."

Nickel Creek--Watkins, her brother Sean (guitar, vocals) and Chris Thile (strings, vocals)--released its self-titled debut in 2000. Prior to the album's release, the group had spent a number of years as a quartet, rounded out by Thile's father, Scott (bass).

Bluegrass icon Alison Krauss has produced both of the group's albums.