Christopher Scott "Chris" Thile (/ˈθiːliː/ THEE-lee; born February 20, 1981) is an American mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and radio personality, best known for his work in the progressive acoustic trio Nickel Creek and the acoustic folk and progressive bluegrass quintet Punch Brothers. He is a 2012 MacArthur Fellow. On October 15, 2016, he became the host of the radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion.