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.
Doubting Thomas
Nickel Creek Lyrics
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Besides the folks I've met and the folks who know me
Will I discover a soul saving love or
Just the dirt above and below me?
I'm a doubting Thomas
I took a promise
I do not feel safe
Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face
Then I beg to be spared cause I'm a coward
If there's a master of death I bet he's holding his breath
Cause I show the blind and tell the deaf
About his power
I'm a doubting Thomas
I can't keep my promises
Cause I don't know what's safe
O' me of little faith
Can I be used to help others find truth
When I'm scared that I'll find proof that it's a lie
Can I be led down a trail dropping bread crumbs
To prove I'm not ready to die
Please give me time to decipher the signs
Please forgive me for time that I've wasted
I'm a doubting Thomas
I'll take your promise
Though I know nothing's safe
O' me of little faith
O' me of little faith
The lyrics of Nickel Creek's Doubting Thomas explore the fear and doubt that often accompanies one's religion and spirituality. The song begins by posing the question of what remains after one has passed, wondering if they will discover a soul-saving love or only the dirt above and below them. This existential inquiry sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is essentially a confession of doubt and fear.
The singer, who self-identifies as a "doubting Thomas," relates his struggles with faith and trust in God. He admits that he often prays for a sign, then begs for mercy when he fears the consequences of what that sign might reveal. He goes on to wonder if he can be useful to others on their spiritual journey when he himself is plagued with doubt, afraid that he might inadvertently lead them astray. The song concludes with a plea for forgiveness and understanding, a recognition of the trials and tribulations that come with a life of faith.
Overall, Doubting Thomas is a poignant and heartfelt reflection on the challenges of religious belief. It acknowledges that doubt and fear are normal, while also expressing a deep desire for something more, something greater than ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
What will be left when I've drawn my last breath
What legacy will I leave behind when I die?
Besides the folks I've met and the folks who know me
Aside from the people who have known me, what else will I leave behind?
Will I discover a soul saving love or
When I die, will I be saved by love?
Just the dirt above and below me?
Or will I be left with nothing but my physical body buried in the ground?
I'm a doubting Thomas
I am skeptical and doubtful
I took a promise
I made a commitment
I do not feel safe
But I don't feel secure or protected
O' me of little faith
I lack faith and belief
Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face
At times, I ask for a harsh reality check
Then I beg to be spared cause I'm a coward
But then I beg to be spared because I am afraid
If there's a master of death I bet he's holding his breath
I believe that even the master of death would be amazed at my acts
Cause I show the blind and tell the deaf
Because I try to preach to people who cannot understand my message
About his power
About the power of God
I can't keep my promises
I often fail to keep my commitments
Cause I don't know what's safe
Because I am unsure of what is truly safe
Can I be used to help others find truth
Can I be a resource for others who are seeking the truth?
When I'm scared that I'll find proof that it's a lie
Even though I'm scared I'll find evidence that the truth is not what I hoped it would be
Can I be led down a trail dropping bread crumbs
Can I help others discover the path to finding the truth, even if I myself am not yet ready?
To prove I'm not ready to die
As a way of showing that I am still searching for the answers that will help me be ready for death
Please give me time to decipher the signs
I ask for patience and more time to try to understand what is happening in my life
Please forgive me for time that I've wasted
I ask for forgiveness for the time that I have spent in uncertainty and fear, and for not making the most of the time that I have had to find meaning in my life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRIS THILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind