HOW TO GO
Who: Sean Watkins
Where: Canal Public House, 308 E. First St., Dayton
9 p.m. Wednesday, April 22
Cost: $12 in advance, $15 at the door
More info: 937-461-9343 or www.canalpublichouse.com
Artist info: www.seanwatkins.com
Juggling multiple projects is nothing new for Nickel Creek founder Sean Watkins. The Grammy-winning bluegrass musician, who performs solo at Canal Public House in Dayton on Wednesday, April 22, has been splitting his time between various musical endeavors for decades. However, the workload became even more than he could handle last summer when his fourth solo album was released at the same time he was touring with a reformed Nickel Creek.
Watkins recently submitted to a brief Q&A, speaking over the phone from his Los Angeles home.
Q: How are things going with “All I Do Is Lie”? It seems like the album got lost in the excitement over last year’s Nickel Creek tour.
A: “I regret putting put my record out when I did. It wasn’t the right time but that was the label’s decision. I understand it but this solo record needs its own time. I didn’t play any solo dates last year and now I finally have the time to tour. It’s been a lot of fun out there playing these songs for people. This is my first time ever really touring solo so it’s pretty great.”
Q: How big of a band are you touring with?
A: “For these dates, I’m touring with a girl named Dominique Arciero. I do different things in different parts of the country. For the West Coast, I did some stuff with a quartet and as a trio but it’s just the two of us right now and it’s great. She plays keyboards and guitar and sings harmony. She’s a really great singer-songwriter. We’re making a record of her stuff in our off time.”
Q: You always have multiple projects going. What’s next?
A: “We’re doing a Watkins Family Hour record and tour. That’ll be out in July. My sister and I have been doing this sort of a musical variety show for 12 years here in Los Angeles. The band is she and I and five other people and we have special guests, musicians and sometimes comedians. It’s a blast. We’ve kept it as something we do locally for a long time but there’s been some interest so we decided to take it out to more people.”
Q: Anything else?
A: “After the solo tour, I’ll be doing some writing and finishing some records I’ve been working on around here. I’m also working on songs for a new solo album for next year. I’m hoping to get in the studio and start recording that in late summer or early fall.”
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