10 Things You Didnt Know about Chris Thile

One year ago, most people didn’t know who Chris Thile was. However, the celebrity is fast becoming a household name and will soon be synonymous with A Prairie-Home-Companion. And, consequently, you will not be hearing much about Garrison Keillor, the show’s creator and long-time host. That’s right: Chris Thile is the new host of the renowned show A Prairie-Home-Companion. He is also so much more than that: he is an accomplished song writer, singer, and American virtuoso mandolinist.

Best known for being a notable member of the music group Nickel Creek, Chris Thile seemingly has everything it takes to keep the popular radio show as interesting and captivating as it has always been. And, if Garrison Keillor’s remarks about his expertise are anything to go by, then there is a lot of excitement to look forward to. From his net worth to his personal history, here are ten facts that you probably didn’t know about Chris Thile.

He is from California

Chris Thile was born in Oceanside, California in 1981. Most of his tours during his childhood were also limited to California. It is here that he met the other two members of Nickel Creek back in 1989.

It is not his first time on A-Prairie-Home-Companion

The new host of the show has some history there. He first appeared on the show at a young age of only 15 years, and his performance was noted by many thanks to his mastery of the mandolin. Chris Thile has appeared a total of nine times. Consequently, many argue that this experience, coupled with his talent and passion for music, makes him the ideal for the position.

He is a Grammy Award winner

Chris Thile may not be a household name yet, but he is a Grammy Award winner; in fact, he has four Grammy Awards to his name. His first award came in 1997 for the category ‘Best Bluegrass Album’. The second award came in 2002 for the category ‘Best Contemporary Folk Album’, and he shared it with the band Nickel Creek for their album This Side; the band also won another award for the same category in 2013 for their album The-Goat-Rode- Sessions.

Chris Thile won the BBC’s “Folk-Musician-of-the-Year” Award in 2007, and he is also the recipient of four Grammy Award nominations. He shared his final Grammy Award with Edgar Mayer for the category ‘Best-Contemporary-Instrumental-Album’ for their album Bass and Mandolin.

He is outstandingly creative

Chris Thile is somewhat of a genius when it comes to music. This has always been evident in his work, but it was formalized in 2012 when he was awarded a $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship along with 23 other people. The fellowship is awarded to people who stand out in their creativity, and it is popularly dubbed the ‘genius grant’.

Speaking to interviewers after receiving the award, Chris Thile said that the focus of his creativity was on finding a middle ground between cerebral and visceral music.

He was only 8 years old when he joined his first band

Chris Thile’s passion for singing started at a young tender age, and by the age of eight he already has his own band. Thile, together with his two siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, decided to fuse their talents in 1989 and formed Nickel Creek Band, which later evolved into Nickel Creek. In spite of their tender ages, the three siblings were so talented and focused that the band released its first album in 1993 and toured bluegrass festivals from as early as 1990.

He started performing at a young age of only 5 years old

Chris Thile started performing years before he formed his own band. In interviews with magazines and radio hosts, Thile narrates how he and his family would take weekly trips to a local pizza joint in their hometown where they would watch folk bands performing. It was during one of those trips that Thile met John Moore, the front-man of the band named Bluegrass Etc. Thile learnt how to play the mandolin under Moore’s guidance, and he occasionally performed with the band.

He was home-schooled

Chris Thile’s talent and his passion for music were undeniable even at a young tender age of only five years old, which is when he started practicing on the Mandolin. Fortunately, his parents embraced his talent and did all they could to help him nurture it.

To this end, Chris Thile, along with his two siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, were home-schooled since formal schooling limited their time and mobility. This came as a great advantage since the three went on many tours after releasing their first album in 1993.

He is a husband and a father

Chris Thile is described as a loving husband and father by his friends and family. His first marriage was in 2003 when he took Jesse Meighan, a fashion designer, for his wife in a grand marriage ceremony. Unfortunately, their marriage lasted only 18 months and the two divorced in 2004. Fortunately, however, it was not the end of the road for Chris Thile as he later met and married actress Claire Coffee in 2013. The two have been together ever since, and they have a son named Calvin Eugene Thile.

He is a staunch baseball fan

Chris Thile is an avid baseball fan. In particular, he is a fan of The Cubs, and he describes himself as one of the team’s greatest fans for as long as he can remember. This is in spite of the fact that The Cubs have not hand a single victory for the past seven decades. Nevertheless, like a true loyal fan, Thile is always hopeful that his team will one day make it to the World Series.

Chris Thile net worth

Chris Thile has a lot to show for his long-standing and passionate career in music. He has performed in numerous concerts and released many collaborations and singles. He has also won many awards that came with financial rewards. Overall, Chris Thile’s net worth stands at about $3 million, and this figure is expected to grow as his star continues shining.

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