New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Sara Watkins of the Grammy-winning groups
Nickel Creek and I'm With Her, as well as The Watkins Family Hour, will release a family-friendly album of soothing songs called Under the Pepper Tree on March 26th via New West Records. Fans may pre-order the album today on their favorite music platform, and stream "Pure Imagination" on Spotify.
Catch the first animated music video for "Pure Imagination," on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u8M2k1vhCGI, featuring artwork by Adam Sniezek.
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 Tiffany'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."
The 15-song set was produced by Tyler Chester (Sara Bareilles,
Margaret Glaspy) and is the follow up to her critically acclaimed 2016 solo album Young In All The Wrong Ways.
The nostalgic and gentle Under the Pepper Tree offers a comforting record for those moments as daily rhythms fade into nightly rituals - and when a child's imagination comes to life. "I want this album to be a place of calm, imagination, and relief," Sara says. "Some days are perfect and things are a dream and make you feel like a superhero. And some days are just... such a challenge. I feel like this record has a place in both of those days, and I really hope that these recordings find a place in kids' hearts, and become as special as they are to me."
Sara sequenced the album's 15 songs with the vinyl listening experience in mind. After forming the track listing of Side A and Side B, she then crafted transitions between the songs, making each half of the album seamlessly glide by. Sara says, "Although this album can certainly be enjoyed by listening all the way through, very early on in the planning I began thinking of it as something to be taken one side at a time. I imagine someone dropping the needle on side A one night, and side B the next."
