Madison Cunningham Joins Watkins Family Hour On Elliott Smith's “Pitseleh”

Building around solid community and great songs, siblings Sara and Sean Watkins began their Watkins Family Hour shows at L.A.'s beloved Largo nightclub two decades ago. Twenty years later, the pair are still pushing the limits of their original vision, consistently inviting new members to the fold to tackle devastatingly good tunes. Today, Watkins Family Hour shared another taste of their new album, Vol. II-out August 19th-with a particularly lovely cover of Elliott Smith's "Pitseleh" featuring Grammy-nominated folk-rocker Madison Cunningham.

Originally appearing on Smith's 1998 album XO, Sean, Sara, and Madison transform the original's swift waltz feel into a dreamy, pizzicato guitar-scape accented by a retro-feeling, unison string arrangement and subtle harmony. "Sara and I have been huge fans of Elliott Smith for a long time. Years ago, we were asked to take part in an Elliott Smith tribute concert in LA and this is the song I chose to do," says Sean. "The fragility and heartbreaking imagery of the lyric have always spoken to me. I love the contrast between that sadness and Madison Cunningham's gorgeous and sparkling guitar part."

Fans can hear Watkins Family Hour's all-new interpretation of "Pitseleh" at this link, check out the previously-released Vol. II singles, "Hypnotized" and "(Remember Me) I'm The One Who Loves You" featuring Fiona Apple, and pre-save or pre-order Vol. II ahead of its August 19th release date right here. Watkins Family Hour tour continues on August 13th at Lexington, Virginia's Lime Kiln Theater. A full list of tour dates can be found below or at watkinsfamilyhour.com/tour.

More About Vol. II: Vol. II follows Watkins Family Hour's sophomore album Brother Sister, which they released as the COVID-19 pandemic began taking hold of the globe and, in turn, shut down the live music industry. That record was, serendipitously, a quieter affair, showcasing the musical interplay between Sara and Sean that keeps the Family Hour heart beating. In many ways, it's also a successor to Watkins Family Hour, the self-titled 2015 album that introduced the band to a broader audience and sent them, along with some of their closest collaborators, out on the road to tour.

Sean and Sara recorded Vol. II in January of 2022. The siblings and their guests recorded the entire LP in just three days, decamping at the historic East West Studio in Los Angeles with producers David Boucher and Tyler Chester. While plotting the project, the pair had a deep roster of past Family Hour guests to choose from, a process that also contributed to song selection for the album.

"A lot of the strategy was marrying the songs to the guests that we wanted to be part of the record," Sara says. "So we knew, for example, that Willie Watson was somebody who we wanted to have on the record because we have such a long history with him specifically. So we did the Jim and Jesse song 'She Left Me Standing on the Mountain' with Gabe Witcher and Willie, who are both part of the foundation of the Family Hour."

While Vol. II is certainly a celebration of the band's collaborative show itself, it's also a tribute to Largo, the beloved Los Angeles venue that first hosted them and is an essential hub of the city's creative community. "We wanted to capture what we've done over the years, but also capture the process that is continually at work, which is this intermingling of the musical community here in Los Angeles that surrounds Largo."

As both Sean and Sara continue to work on their own solo music, as well as with their other bands like Nickel Creek and I'm With Her, Watkins Family Hour remains an invaluable resource and respite for them both, offering a familiar but ever-evolving space to test new ideas, meet new collaborators and, most importantly, have a good time doing what they love.

"It's been really exciting to be part of this thing that is happening and growing and enables us to dig deep into this musical community," Sean says. "The consistency has been invaluable to both of us, as musicians." Sara adds, "But also, in life, the Family Hour has been and continues to be a huge part of making us feel anchored in the crazy city of Los Angeles."

Vol. II Tracklist:

The Way I Feel Inside (Ft. Lucius)

Hypnotized

Pitseleh (Feat. Madison Cunningham)

Thanks a Lot (Ft. Jon Brion)

The Late Show (Ft. Jackson Browne)

Tennessee Waltz (Ft. Benmont Tench)

She Left Me Standing on the Mountain (Ft. Willie Watson)

We Were Meant to Be Together

On the Outside (Ft. Gaby Moreno)

(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You (Ft. Fiona Apple)

Grief and Praise (Ft. Madison Cunningham)

Catch Watkins Family Hour On Tour:

Aug. 13 - Lexington, VA - Lime Kiln Theater

Aug 14 - York, PA - Susquehanna Folk Festival

Sept. 16 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall

Sept. 17 - Nashville, TN - Americana Fest

Sept. 18 - Indianapolis, IN - The Toby Theatre

Sept. 20 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark

Sept. 21 - Kent, OH - Kent Stage

Sept. 22 - Fort Wayne, IN - Clyde Theatre

Sept. 23 - Bay Harbor, MI - Great Lakes Center for the Arts

Sept. 24 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music

Sept. 25 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music

Oct. 23 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere

Oct. 25 - New York, NY - (Le) Poisson Rouge

Oct. 27 - Albany, NY - The Egg

Oct. 29 - Groton, MA - Meadow Hall at Groton Hill Music Center

Oct. 30 - Brownfield, ME - Stone Mountain Arts Center

Nov. 13 - Beaverton, OR - The Reser

Nov. 14 - Eugene, OR - Soreng Theater at Hult Center

Nov. 16 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo

Nov. 29 - Santa Barbara, CA - UCSB Campbell Hall

Dec. 1 - Napa, CA - JaM Cellars Ballroom

Dec. 2 - Menlo Park, CA - The Guild Theatre

Dec. 3 - Northridge, CA - The Soraya

For all tour dates and ticket information, please visit watkinsfamilyhour.com/tour.

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