The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
05. Reasons Why
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from you lead
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it
Feeling this sort of a love that we once knew
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
And standing on a darkened stage
Stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses
But I have my reasons why
We get distracted by dreams of our own
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung
To shake fists at the sky
While others have excuses
I have my reasons why
With so much deception it's hard not to wander away
It's hard not wander away, it's hard not to wander
The song “Reasons Why” by Nickel Creek explores themes of loss, confusion, and heartbreak. The lyrics are ambiguous enough to allow for multiple interpretations, but most commonly are seen as describing the aftermath of a breakup. The singer is alone, searching for a path forward, and reflecting on how they got to where they are. They are holding on to the memories of the love they once had, but feeling lost without it. They are struggling to find a sense of home and belonging, and feel exposed and vulnerable.
The second half of the song shifts to a more universal perspective, exploring the idea that we often get distracted by our own dreams and desires, and can end up feeling isolated and unhappy. The image of climbing a ladder against the wrong wall is evocative of the idea of striving towards goals that ultimately don’t bring satisfaction. The final lines suggest that in a world full of deception and confusion, it is easy to wander away from what we truly need and want.
Line by Line Meaning
Where am I today? I wish that i knew
I'm lost and unsure; I don't know where I stand in life
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I'm alone and you're not here anymore
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Our separation wasn't sudden, but rather a slow and steady drift
Just quiet steps away from you lead
Our paths went in opposite directions without any noise
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it
I'm trying to love and be loved, but scared of getting hurt again
Feeling this sort of a love that we once knew
Remembering the wonderful moments we shared before the breakup
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
Trying to convince myself that my current situation is good enough, even though it's not
Playing the role with nerves left exposed
Faking happiness when I'm actually vulnerable and afraid
And standing on a darkened stage
Feeling like life is a performance, with me as the main character
Stumbling through the lines
Not always knowing what to say or do in difficult situations
Others have excuses
People often try to justify their actions or behavior
But I have my reasons why
I have my own personal motives and explanations for my decisions
We get distracted by dreams of our own
We can lose sight of what's important when we're only focused on our own aspirations
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
Happiness is difficult to achieve when we're isolated and lonely
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We're aware of the pain that comes with failure or disappointment
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
Despite knowing better, we might make the same mistakes again
And climb high to the highest rung
We strive for success and achievement, even if it's not what we truly desire
To shake fists at the sky
Expressing frustration or anger towards something we can't change
While others have excuses
People often try to rationalize their actions or decisions
I have my reasons why
I have my own explanations for my choices, whether they're good or bad
With so much deception it's hard not to wander away
It's easy to lose trust in people when there's a lot of dishonesty around us
It's hard not wander away, it's hard not to wander
It's difficult to resist the urge to leave when we feel lost or disillusioned
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVE PUCKETT, SEAN WATKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S W
Her voice is much stronger than it used to be. I think it is a wonderful improvement. She really shines now in every show she does.
Bryan Sykes
Such a truly powerfull and unique voice. I love them all so much, hands down my favourite musicians.
Chris Pittman
Nickel Creel live brings me joy and peace. No one else has that effect to such an extreme.
Júnior Porciúncula
One of the best groups in the World
Bob Jones
Modern classic.
Tom Roucoux
Well, that was one of the best acoustic guitar solos I ever heard :-)
Amanda Gerrity
Chris' voice constantly blows me away - its so crisp and clear and beautiful
dirt eater
a dying breed.... impeccable musicians, true non-processed vocals & harmonies, humorous band and an over all class act...too bad the industry & its consumers don't demand these qualities in ALL musical genres...
Wang Chung
Well said! Had the privilege to see them in concert and it was wonderful to see true musician who did rely on a "stage show" to captivate and entertain.
Phil Med
Love this group, excellent !!!