Chattanooga Times Free Press - ChattanoogaNow
Sara Watkins, Drew Sterchi at Songbirds
Songbirds has t wo shows this week featuring two well-respected artists — one local and one who made her name as part of Nickel Creek.
“An Evening with Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek” is set for Friday, July 21. Drew Sterchi and t he Blues Tribe will play Songbirds on Saturday, July 22.
Sara Watkins, along with brother Sean, and Chris Thile, recorded six albums, winning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2003, along with tons of critical praise. They took a hiatus to do solo projects in 2007 and got back together in 2014 for a new band project.
Watkins released her third solo album, “All the Wrong Ways,” in 2016. She describes it as a break-up album, only she was breaking up with herself.
“I looked around and realized that in many ways I wasn’t who or where I wanted to be,” she said of the recording.
“It’s been a process of letting go and leaving behind patterns and relationships, and in some cases, how I’ve considered myself. What these songs are documenting is the turmoil you feel when you know s omething has to change and you’re grappling with what that means. It means you’re l osing something and moving forward into the unknown.”
Drew Sterchi has been playing guitar locally and regionally with various bands since the ’ 60s. He is arguably the best blues player in town.
He has opened for acts like Johnny Winter, Bonnie Bramlett, Dr. John and the James Gang. He recorded “Left Here with the Blues” in 2012. It is a collection of original material that he wrote over the years.
Blues Tribe features Bernard Tate, Fred Mayes, Tom McLaren, Eric Young and his niece, Virginia Sterchi.