Nickel Creek Dunn Right: The origin
Anna Williams
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: Arts
As Jeff Myers counted off a beat on his mandolin, Megan Dunn and Jason Custer joined in on violin and guitar.
With more than just echoes of the popular folk band Nickel Creek, the campus group Nickel Creek Dunn Right plays a variety of folk and bluegrass music in the style of their namesake, but they only lightly rehearse and they often improvise on the spot.
"We can hear a song once and start playing it," Dunn said, adding her band's greatest strength is "the ability to pick something up really quickly."
After Custer '08 heard a few Nickel Creek songs Dunn, a sophomore, had recorded in high school with her brother, he convinced her to recreate the set for an upcoming Coffeehouse. Missing only a mandolin to match the original Nickel Creek ensemble, they asked senior Myers to play with them. They were an instant hit.
Performing Nov. 4 at Arts for Creative Minds, a weekly fine arts program for local children, the group added sing-along songs such as "You Are My Sunshine" and "This Little Light of Mine" to their usual repertoire.
"Can I get your autograph?" a small boy asked Myers afterward.
While the band is popular for their folk music, none of the members started out playing that genre.
Dunn said she began learning classical violin at the age of 9 after three years of piano lessons. She only picked up Irish fiddling and folk playing a few years ago.
Custer started playing guitar as a kid to mimic his older brother, but expanded his technique from chord-playing to finger-picking once he got to college.
Myers picked up mandolin after unsuccessfully trying to learn guitar as he prepared to take a mission trip to Mexico during high school.
Despite their different musical backgrounds, their folk music has made them a favorite with students since they first played together in 2007. And they continue to perform for Coffeehouse and Centralhallapalooza.
"To me, what sticks out [about Nickel Creek Dunn Right] is the unique instruments they put together. It's not a typical guitar, drums, voice, piano combination," junior Shannon McCleary said. "The mandolin, violin, guitar combination gives them a unique sound."
The band said they have no plans to stay together after next spring, when Myers will graduate and Custer will likely move away to work. Several of their live performances are available on Youtube.com, however, and they said they plan to continue playing at Coffeehouse every month until the end of the school year.
"It is just a blast," Dunn said of playing with Custer and Myers. "And Jeff is, of course, making us laugh the whole time."
With more than just echoes of the popular folk band Nickel Creek, the campus group Nickel Creek Dunn Right plays a variety of folk and bluegrass music in the style of their namesake, but they only lightly rehearse and they often improvise on the spot.
"We can hear a song once and start playing it," Dunn said, adding her band's greatest strength is "the ability to pick something up really quickly."
After Custer '08 heard a few Nickel Creek songs Dunn, a sophomore, had recorded in high school with her brother, he convinced her to recreate the set for an upcoming Coffeehouse. Missing only a mandolin to match the original Nickel Creek ensemble, they asked senior Myers to play with them. They were an instant hit.
Performing Nov. 4 at Arts for Creative Minds, a weekly fine arts program for local children, the group added sing-along songs such as "You Are My Sunshine" and "This Little Light of Mine" to their usual repertoire.
"Can I get your autograph?" a small boy asked Myers afterward.
While the band is popular for their folk music, none of the members started out playing that genre.
Dunn said she began learning classical violin at the age of 9 after three years of piano lessons. She only picked up Irish fiddling and folk playing a few years ago.
Custer started playing guitar as a kid to mimic his older brother, but expanded his technique from chord-playing to finger-picking once he got to college.
Myers picked up mandolin after unsuccessfully trying to learn guitar as he prepared to take a mission trip to Mexico during high school.
Despite their different musical backgrounds, their folk music has made them a favorite with students since they first played together in 2007. And they continue to perform for Coffeehouse and Centralhallapalooza.
"To me, what sticks out [about Nickel Creek Dunn Right] is the unique instruments they put together. It's not a typical guitar, drums, voice, piano combination," junior Shannon McCleary said. "The mandolin, violin, guitar combination gives them a unique sound."
The band said they have no plans to stay together after next spring, when Myers will graduate and Custer will likely move away to work. Several of their live performances are available on Youtube.com, however, and they said they plan to continue playing at Coffeehouse every month until the end of the school year.
"It is just a blast," Dunn said of playing with Custer and Myers. "And Jeff is, of course, making us laugh the whole time."
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