Sara Watkins Unveils ‘Night Singing’ Single

Sara Watkins released “Night Singing,” one of two originals featured on her forthcoming album Under The Pepper Tree. The 15-track LP arrives on New West Records March 26.

Tyler Chester produced the follow-up to Watkins’ last solo album, 2016’s Young In All The Wrong Ways. Watkins put together Under The Pepper Tree with families in mind. The album includes such covers as “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, beloved standard “Moon River,” The Three Amigos tune “Blue Shadows On The Trail” and The Beatles’ “Good Night.”

Sara tapped her Nickel Creek bandmates (Chris Thile and Sean Watkins) and I’m With Her bandmates (Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz) to contribute to the LP. Under The Pepper Tree also includes guest appearances from Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, David Garza and Watkins’ three-year-old daughter.

Sara Watkins previously took part in SPIN’s Lullaby Sessions Instagram Live series and her appearance helped inspire Under The Pepper Tree. “Interestingly enough, my friend Ben Lee recommended me for the SPIN Lullaby Sessions on Instagram Live right when the shutdown happened. I loved this and immediately thought I’ll do ‘Blue Shadows on the Trail’ and ‘The Second Star to the Right,’” Watkins explained. “I did an Instagram poll where fans reminded me of ‘La La Lu’ and a couple other songs. Once I did the Lullaby Sessions, that got me thinking about what other songs I would do. Pretty quickly, I started to put together an album and the whole thing started taking shape from there.”

SPIN premiered the “Night Singing” video. Watch the Mertcan Mertbilek-directed visual below: