Time to play six degrees of separation...

So another reason to like Blue Merle if you're in the same boat I am musically. I did some research and they don't officially have a fiddler, but I think similarly to Nickel Creek not having a bassist, they rotate as they tour. Anyway, so I found out that in their rotation of fiddlers, Casey Driessen AND Luke Bulla, two of the more prominent fiddlers out there today have and continue to be on Blue Merle's rotation! Both fiddlers created the band, Wisechild, and Luke, as I recall, was once a roomate of Chris Thile of Nickel Creek and also co-wrote the Nickel Creek song, Beauty and the Mess, while Driessen is a friend of the Creek. I think both were getting ready for Merlefest or just fulfilling other obligations, which is why they unfortunately weren't at the show I went to. And there's your connection :)