Watkins Family Hour: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watkins Family Hour

September 18, 2015 by BOB BOILEN • The Watkins Family Hourbegan a dozen or so years ago as a way for a group of friends to get together and play old and new tunes. For Sean and Sara Watkins, it served as a monthly bit of magic: a musical variety show filled with extraordinary talent in the world of folk, bluegrass and beyond at L.A.’s famous Largo.

Now, the Watkins siblings — known for their work in Nickel Creek, among many other projects — have taken their fiddle, guitar and charm on a country-flavored yellow brick road, gathering friends (pianist Benmont Tench, drummer Don Heffington and bassist Sebastian Steinberg) and surprises along the way. For this tour and their Tiny Desk Concert, their biggest surprise is the addition ofFiona Apple as a guest vocalist who actually yowls along to songs like the traditional tune “In The Pines.” It’s a special moment at the Tiny Desk.