Morning Commute Soundtrack: Sara Watkins

Last July, I went on an ill-fated camping trip with my good friend Nick, where the idea was to spend a week camping in national parks and going to minor league baseball games. The best-laid plans and all, and it quickly became a comedy of errors, and we only went camping one night and saw one minor league game. But, I was introduced to the Nerdist podcast, of which Nick was already a fan, and he played me the one with Craig Ferguson that also happened to have Sara Watkins, of Nickel Creek, as a musical guest. After her performance (which song it was, I don’t know), Nick and I looked at each other and both had the same thought: “Damn, she was good.”

A little over two years ago, Nick and I started an email chain about music we figure both of us would like. Not too long after our failed excursion, Nick updated the email and asked if I was interested in Watkins’ debut eponymous solo album; because I love Nickel Creek and folk/country music in general, I said of course, and I was absolutely bowled over by the album. This morning, I was driving to work and was once again transfixed by her gorgeous voice; while my favorite track will always remain ‘Where Will You Be’, her cover of John Hartford’s ‘Long Hot Summer Days’ is a close second, and with the impending heat wave that will ravage the Philadelphia region this week, it’s an appropriate choice.