For Sean Watkins, the last decade has been jammed with music making and a herculean amount of touring. He started his musical career as one third of the Grammy-winning Nickel Creek and has gone on to helm, with his sister Sara, the genre-hopping musical feast that is the Watkins Family Hour, lent his voice and guitar work to albums by friends and family, and released three solo albums. Rolling Stone calls the title track from his newest, What to Fear, “an articulate, razor-edged folk song, made up of equal parts melody and message.” On his own, Watkins displays tremendous warmth and soulfulness as a singer and a refreshing candor and humor as a lyricist. Though he’s an accomplished and sought after ensemble player, the new album brings him front and center as a solo singer-songwriter. “For the longest time I didn’t feel comfortable in that role,“ Sean says. “I loved being in bands. But now that I’ve done songs that I really like– I’m proud of my last one, and even prouder of this one –that makes a big difference when you’re traveling solo, stepping on stage by yourself. It’s fun to go out on stage – anything is possible.”

Infrequently, pairings come together that make perfect sense. The meeting of two incredible musical minds can produce sound that stands distinctly apart from the work of peers, a magical culmination of the best aspects of both collaborators. In this case, two unique artists met to make art together for the first time, one, a virtuoso musician, vocalist, composer and interpreter of song, and the other, one of this generation’s greatest songwriters and producers. On their new recording, Seemed Like A Good Idea – Petra Haden Sings Jesse Harris, Petra Haden and Jesse Harris have created a powerful recording of finely wrought compositions.

visit the Sean Watkins website