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Watkins Family Hour: Tiny Desk Concert

By Bob Boilen
Published September 18, 2015 at 10:02 AM EDT

The Watkins Family Hour began 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 of Fiona 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.

Watkins Family Hour is available now. (iTunes) (Amazon)

Set List

  • "Steal Your Heart Away"

    •
  • "In The Pines"

  • "Hop High"

    • Credits

    Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Walker, Ariel Zambelich; Assistant Producer: Rachel Horn; photo by Ariel Zambelich/NPR

    For more Tiny Desk Concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

    Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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    Bob Boilen
    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.
    See stories by Bob Boilen

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    Federal funding is gone.

    Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

    That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

    The future of public media is in your hands.

    All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

    Donate

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