Chris Thile facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Thile
Thile hosting A Prairie Home Companion in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Scott Thile
Born	(1981-02-20) February 20, 1981 (age 44) Oceanside, California, U.S.
Genres	Bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, folk, country, classical, jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, radio show host
Instruments	Mandolin bouzouki mandola banjo guitar drums sitar piano violin viola cello double bass vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Sugar Hill Nonesuch

Christopher Scott Thile (born February 20, 1981) is an American musician famous for playing the mandolin. He is also a singer, songwriter, and composer. Thile is known for his work in two main bands: the acoustic group Nickel Creek and the bluegrass band Punch Brothers.

Thile is a very skilled musician who mixes different styles of music, like bluegrass, classical, and jazz. In 2012, he received a special award called a MacArthur Fellowship, which is sometimes called a "genius grant." From 2016 to 2020, he also hosted the popular radio show Live from Here.

Early Life and Music

Chris Thile was born in Oceanside, California. He loved music from a very young age. When he was two years old, his family would take him to a pizza place to listen to a bluegrass band. This inspired him to start playing the mandolin when he was five.

At age eight, Thile helped form the band Nickel Creek with his friends, siblings Sara and Sean Watkins. The band became so popular at festivals that Thile had to be home-schooled. When he was just twelve, he won a national mandolin championship at the Walnut Valley Festival.

In 1994, at age 13, Thile released his first solo album, Leading Off. He continued to release music on his own and with Nickel Creek. The band's album This Side won a Grammy Award in 2003.

Musical Career

Solo Work and Early Collaborations

Besides his work with Nickel Creek, Thile has released several solo albums. On his 2001 album, Not All Who Wander Are Lost, he worked with famous musicians like Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer.

In 2004, he released Deceiver, an album where he played every single instrument himself. This included guitar, piano, drums, and violin. The album showed his talent for writing rock and pop songs in addition to bluegrass.

Founding the Punch Brothers

Chris Thile with Punch Brothers at Wintergrass, 2008

In 2006, Thile wanted to start a new band. He gathered a group of talented musicians: Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Chris Eldridge (guitar), Greg Garrison (bass), and Noam Pikelny (banjo). They first called themselves "How to Grow a Band" but later changed their name to Punch Brothers.

Thile described how the band started after he and his friends went through tough times. He said they had an "instantaneous connection" when they played music together.

The Punch Brothers are known for their complex and ambitious music. One of their most famous pieces is a 40-minute song called "The Blind Leaving the Blind," which Thile wrote after his divorce in 2004. The band has released several successful albums, including Punch and The Phosphorescent Blues.

Working with Other Artists

Chris Thile with Punch Brothers at Wintergrass, 2008

Thile loves to work with musicians from different genres. He has recorded and performed with many famous artists.

• He recorded an album with bassist Edgar Meyer in 2008 and another one, Bass & Mandolin, in 2014.
• In 2011, he teamed up with world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and fiddler Stuart Duncan. They called themselves the Goat Rodeo Sessions and won a Grammy Award for their album. They released a second album in 2020.
• He recorded an album of classical music by Johann Sebastian Bach on the mandolin.
• In 2024, he provided the singing voice for the character Wendell in the Country Bear Musical Jamboree ride at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Hosting a National Radio Show

Thile hosting A Prairie Home Companion with guest Brandi Carlile

Thile first appeared on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion when he was 15. The show was a famous weekly broadcast hosted by Garrison Keillor. Over the years, Thile was a frequent guest.

In 2016, Garrison Keillor retired, and Thile took over as the new permanent host. The show was later renamed Live from Here. As host, Thile performed his own music and invited many other musicians to play on the show. The show ended in 2020.

Personal Life

Thile was married to fashion designer Jesse Meighan from 2003 to 2004.

On December 23, 2013, he married actress Claire Coffee. They have a son, Calvin Eugene Thile, who was born on May 15, 2015.

Awards and Nominations

Chris Thile has won many awards for his music, both as a solo artist and with his bands.

• 1997 – IBMA award for Album of the Year
• 2001 – IBMA award for Mandolinist of the Year
• 2002 – Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for This Side (with Nickel Creek)
• 2007 – BBC's Folk Musician of the Year
• 2012 – MacArthur Fellowship ("Genius Grant")
• 2013 – Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for The Goat Rodeo Sessions
• 2014 – Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Bass & Mandolin (with Edgar Meyer)
• 2019 – Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for All Ashore (with Punch Brothers)

Discography

Solo

Collaborations

Nickel Creek

Punch Brothers

• 2008: Punch
• 2010: Antifogmatic
• 2012: Who's Feeling Young Now?
• 2012: Ahoy! [EP]
• 2015: The Phosphorescent Blues
• 2015: The Wireless [EP]
• 2018: All Ashore
• 2022: Hell on Church Street

Mutual Admiration Society

• 2004 Mutual Admiration Society (Nickel Creek and Glen Phillips)

Theme park attractions

• 2024 Country Bear Musical Jamboree (Wendell)

Multimedia

• Listen and/or watch Chris Thile on 5 episodes of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour: No. 165 as a member of Nickel Creek; No. 199 Chris Thile with Bryan Sutton; No. 287 Chris Thile and Mike Marshall, another master of the mandolin; No. 416 Chris Thile and the How To Grow a Band, No. 506 Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile

See also

In Spanish: Chris Thile para niños