A wonderful new 15-set album from Sara Watkins of the Grammy-winning groups Nickel Creek and I’m With Her. Created with families in mind, the personal project encompasses songs Sara embraced as a child herself and brings storytelling, solace, and encouragement to the listener, no matter the age. In addition to two stunning original songs, the album includes Sara’s renditions of “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, The Beatles’ “Good Night,” “Moon River” (originally sung by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tif any’s), and more. Under the Pepper Tree also reunites Sara’s Nickel Creek bandmates Chris Thile and her brother Sean on “Blue Shadows on the Trail” (from the 1986 comedy The Three Amigos), Sara’s I’m With Her bandmates Sarah Jarosz & Aoife O’Donovan on “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” (originally performed by Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers), Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes on Harry Nilsson’s “Blanket for a Sail,” David Garza on Roy Orbison’s “Beautiful Dreamer,” and Sara’s now three-year old daughter on her immensely sweet rendition of The Sound of Music’s “Edelweiss.”
Evaluation comments from our NAPPA Awards Music Judge:
“From the opening notes of “Pure Imagination” through the closing “Good Night,” Sara Watkins delivers a purely exquisite album. While Watkins made her name in the bluegrass and Americana music worlds (with Nickel Creek, the Watkins Family Hour, I’m With Her, and her own solo efforts), she favors nostalgic tunes that touched her during her childhood on her first family music album. Watkins reunites with her Nickel Creek family (her brother Sean and Chris Thile) for “Blue Shadows on the Trail” and her I’m With Her sisters (Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan) on “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” – the album’s most western tracks along with the title track (a short instrumental showcase of her violin skills). Disney soundtrack fans will delight over her enchanting renditions of “Stay Awake,” “La La Lu,” “Second Star on the Right,” and the timeless “When You Wish Upon A Star.” She also covers a pair of Rodgers and Hammerstein classics, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Edelweiss” (a darling duet with her young daughter) as well as the standards, “Moon River” and “Beautiful Dreamer.” Notable too are her inclusion of Nilsson’s “Blanket for a Sail” (featuring Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith) and her original “Night Singing.” The themes of sleep-time and nighttime float throughout the lullaby-like Pepper Tree, and Watkins arranged the tracks to lead up to a bedtime break halfway through (akin the end of a vinyl album’s side one), with track 8’s “Night Singing,” and again with final tune, “Good Night.” This isn’t an album aimed for high energy play. Rather, the dreamy mood of Watkins’ gorgeous music is perfect for a gentle evening waltz for little ones before easing them down to sleep. She has said that made this music to provide listeners with a sense of solace and comfort, and she totally succeeds on this quietly powerful, lovingly crafted album.”