LA-based Americana luminaries Watkins Family Hour swing into Groton, MA to perform at Groton Hill Music Center on Saturday, October 29. Tickets are on sale now!
Featuring siblings Sean and Sara Watkins – two-thirds of platinum-selling Grammy winners Nickel Creek – and a revolving cast of musical collaborators, this bluegrass collective thrills audiences with colorful musical landscapes of “glittering, harmony-driven folk” and dynamic musical chemistry.
When Sara and Sean Watkins first began playing Watkins Family Hour shows at Los Angeles’s beloved Largo over 20 years ago, the siblings and musicians had little idea just how far the collaborative variety show would go. Twenty years, two studio albums and hundreds of performances later, the two are taking stock of the ever-evolving community of musicians and music lovers the project helped build.
As part of that reflection, Watkins Family Hour is releasing its third studio album Vol. II. The collection features a number of longtime friends of the show joining Sean and Sara across 11 tracks that encapsulate where Watkins Family Hour started, how the project grew and where it could be headed in the future. Guests on the album include Fiona Apple, Jon Brion, Jackson Browne, Madison Cunningham, Lucius, Gaby Moreno, Benmont Tench and Willie Watson.
“During the pandemic, we crossed the 20-year mark,” Sara says. “And we wanted to celebrate that. I am kind of amazed that we’re still doing it. It doesn’t feel like it’s been 20 years. But when I think about the number, I think, ‘Wow, there were so many transitions that happened in that period where the Family Hour work could have just petered away. And we kept choosing to do it.”
“It’s a great reminder to appreciate what we have,” Sean says. “Nothing lasts forever, but recognizing that, at this point, things are as strong as ever with the Family Hour.”
As both Sean and Sara continue to work on their own solo music, as well as with their other bands like Nickel Creek and I’m With Her, Watkins Family Hour remains an invaluable resource and respite for them both, offering a familiar but ever-evolving space to test new ideas, meet new collaborators and, most importantly, have a good time doing what they love.
“It’s been really exciting to be part of this thing that is happening and growing and enables us to dig deep into this musical community” Sean says.
“The consistency has been invaluable to both of us, as musicians.” Sara adds, “But also, in life, the Family Hour has been and continues to be a huge part of making us feel anchored in the crazy city of Los Angeles.”
Other fall concerts include Brian O’Donovan’s Celtic Roots & Branches on October 22; Grammy-winning Bluegrass fiddle master Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper on November 5; Seamus Egan on December 2, and more. View all fall concerts
Opening in September, 2022, Groton Hill Music Center is a vibrant new hub for music in historic Groton, Massachusetts. A gathering place for all to experience the highest quality professional performances, the Center presents top artists in jazz, global roots, folk, classical masterworks, and chamber music. The center is also home to a regionally recognized music school that provides outstanding music education and performance opportunities to 1,200 students of all ages and abilities, plus impactful outreach programs that share the transformative power of music throughout the community.
As a non-profit organization, Groton Hill Music Center relies on the generosity of individuals, families, businesses, and foundations to support our programs. The programs of Groton Hill are also supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and with funds from the council administered by the Local Cultural Councils. Learn more