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Craft Recordings is currently reissuing three best-selling albums from the GRAMMY® Award-winning Americana trio, Nickel Creek, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their self-titled breakthrough album! Featuring mastering from the original tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, the digital high-resolution transfers were overseen by Paul Blakemore. Consisting of siblings Sara and Sean Watkins, plus Chris Thile, Nickel Creek formed in 1989, when all three multi-instrumentalist members were under the age of 13. Along with Chris’ father, bassist Scott Thile, the group built a following in their native San Diego, and soon became regulars on the bluegrass festival circuit, releasing two records on their own in the ’90s. At the turn of the millennium, the band signed with the iconic Americana imprint, Sugar Hill. There, they caught the ears of bluegrass star Alison Krauss, who would become a mentor to the young musicians and produce their next two albums. Energized by the success of their debut, the busy trio reunited with Krauss to record their 2002 follow-up, This Side. Both Sean and Chris – who had each released solo albums in the interim – continued to flex their writing skills, with songs like “Speak,” “Smoothie Song,” and “This Side,” which served as the album’s lead single. The LP also garnered buzz in the indie world, thanks to a cover of Pavement’s “Spit on a Stranger.” Both fans and critics embraced This Side, which debuted in the Billboard 200 Top 20, and peaked at No.2 on the Top Country Albums chart.