“For me, music always leads. Lyrics are only about how they sing. It is wonderful if they read well, too. In the very best scenario, sometimes a lyric will pop out with a melody, simultaneously. That's a lovely thing, but you can't rely on that.”

American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and radio personality

Christopher Scott Thile is an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and radio personality. He is best known for his work with the progressive acoustic trio Nickel Creek and the acoustic folk and progressive bluegrass quintet Punch Brothers. Thile has been active across bluegrass, folk, and related acoustic styles, and his career also includes composing and broadcasting. From 2016 until the show's cancellation in 2020, he hosted the radio variety show Live from Here. He was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012.