Texas Hot Country August 2012 : Page 5

TEXAS HOT COUNTRY MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2012, PAGE 7 JOE NICHOLS LIVE AT THE PASADENA RODEO SEPT. 14 CELEBRATING THE NEW 93Q 20TH BIRTHDAY PARTY couple of songs worthy.” Known for his ability to recognize great songs, Joe reveals his winning formula: “If I hear a song and it’s tough to listen to, then it’s probably going to be tough to listen to on the radio if it’s too wordy, if it’s not a coherent thought, or is not a catchy melody. It needs a hook, it needs a melody, and I think the lyric needs to be compelling. And number one overall: believability. If I listen to a song and I don’t believe it, I’m not going to sing it like I believe it.” Regarding his songwriting formula, Joe adds, “Sometimes I’ll walk into an office with a couple of great writers with an idea, and within an hour, we’ll have a verse and a chorus and half of a second verse, and we haven’t even had lunch yet. And there are some days that we bang on a guitar for four hours without one solid idea. Sometimes the feeling is right, the chemistry is right between the writers, and you just know you’ve got a hit. That’s why a lot of these writers have several hits with the same group of people. Because they become comfortable with each other, and they know that when they have a good idea, they keep running with it. That’s a good formula. I like that about Nashville. They have such a good handle on streamlining creativity, a good handle on how to know when magic is happening and not get in the way. ” Born and raised in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1976, Joe was inspired to become a country singer by his dad, Mike Nichols, who was a truck driver and a local country musician. Joe, however, cites Merle Haggard as his greatest musical influence. “I used to sit in my room and mimic his and Keith Whitley’s records all the time when I got my first pawn-shop guitar back when I was, maybe, 11 or 12. I can remember getting that after working all summer long for this little old lady, Mrs. Louise Smith, about 80 years old, who lived down the road. I worked for a buck-fifty an hour until I made enough money to buy this pawn-shop guitar for 40 dollars. It had strings that were about an inch and a half off the neck. It felt like I was gripping sandpaper on that thing, but I learned how to play some songs on my own. Over and over, I listened to songs of Merle, Keith Whitley, Don Williams, Randy Travis and many of those old country guys.” Joe began writing and performing songs at age 15, and he was signed to his first recording contract at age 19. By the time he was 21, Joe had moved to Nashville and had begun “paying his dues.” In 2002, he got his big break when he was signed to Universal South Records (now Show Dog-Universal Records). His second studio album, Man with a Memory , sold platinum, yielded back-to-back No. 1 hits, and earned him three Grammy nominations. On the strength of these accomplishments, Joe was named the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist of 2003, and he was awarded the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award the same year. Since then, he has toured the country with both Alan Jackson and Toby Keith, and he has even toured Switzerland and Australia. In addition, Joe entertained American soldiers on a tour of the Middle East. After becoming a star in his own right, Joe was able to sing for Merle Haggard in what he counts as his most memorable musical moment. As Joe tells it, “I got to sing for Merle at Buck Owens’ place (the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California). Before Buck died, he brought a bunch of people together to do this tribute concert to guys he’d made bronze statues of, like Willie (Nelson), George Jones, George Strait, Garth (Brooks), himself, Ray Price, Patsy Cline. Anyway, he had this big concert with me, Dierks (Bentley), and a bunch of other younger guys that were there. Merle drove down from his house near Lake Shasta, and I got to sing Merle Haggard songs with Merle sitting on the stage watching the show. It was the coolest little moment for me because it was one of those things where I could picture myself as a 12-year-old kid listening to this guy on a tape and thinking, ‘Man, there’s nobody like this guy. I hope one day to meet him.’ And here I was singing on stage with him there watching me singing ‘Footlights’ and ‘Okie from Muskogee.’ I was just amazed by that moment.” Joe also recorded a duet with country music legend Gene Watson, whose songs have appeared on a number of Joe Nichols’ albums. As Joe tells it, “On In a Perfect World , I sang a duet with Gene. I’ve always said that Gene Watson was the most underrated singer of country music of all time, because I think he’s an incredible singer and that he never really got his full due. It was a big honor to get to sing with him on his record. And yeah, I’ve cut ‘Farewell Party’ and ‘Should I Come Home (or Should I Go Crazy).’ I’ve had a good streak of albums where I cut a Gene Watson song on every one of them. He’s got some great songs, and he sings great still, and I’m proud to know him.” Of all he has accomplished in the past decade, what is his greatest adventure so far? According to Joe, “My greatest adventure has been marriage. I never knew what it would be like to be married, and I never considered myself to be the kind of person who would ever be married. But that has been an adventure! Man, I’ve changed so much since the day I got married, and for the better. I think it’s a wild adventure. I’ve become a different person that I never thought I’d be. I’m head-over-heels in love with somebody, and I never thought that was possible for me. But, here I am…married for almost five years now. And I’ve got a little baby girl that brightens my day just by hearing her.” Joe married his “sweetheart wife” Heather Singleton, whom he has known since they were both 19 years old, in 2007. Their first child, Dylan River Nichols, was born in April 2012. “I also have a 13-year-old (daughter Ashelyn) that is about to turn 14, and that, in itself, is becoming quite the adventure in another way.” Joe quips Besides marital bliss, and professional contentment, what’s next on Joe’s wish list? “I’d like to just create my own tour the way I’d like to create it one day, and just go out there and have sort of a Brooks-and-Dunn-type circus,” Joe muses. “From the late ‘90s to the early 2000s, they had a ‘festival’ kind of thing all day. I’d like to do that one day. Of course, I’d like to go to the Grammys and bring one home. That’d be nice. That is one of the deals where, once you get nominated, you just think, ‘Wow! It doesn’t even matter at this point whether I win it or not.’ But after being nominated a few times, it would be a really cool deal to bring one home.” Of his place in country music history, Joe adds, “I’d like to be remembered as someone who influenced a lot of people like I was influenced. I really don’t want to be remembered as the next ‘somebody.’ I want to be remembered as the first ‘me,’ and for something that nobody else has done. I don’t know what that is yet, but I hope this story gets even more amusing.” Having achieved so much in the past decade, Joe remains appreciative of his past and hopeful for his future. As he concludes, “I’m sure happy that I’ve been given all the opportunities that I’ve been given. I think we’ve capitalized on most of them, and I’ve had a good time. I’m in the midst of making a really cool batch of new music. So, I think, to be me right now…the schedule’s a little crazy, and sometimes, I don’t know which way is up… but I’m incredibly thankful every day for all the blessings I’ve been given from above.” ‘I BY JAMES HARVEY haven’t sounded this good in a long time,” says country music star Joe Nichols of the new music he is currently creating for his forthcoming eighth studio album. Best known for the No. 1 hit songs, “The Impossible” (2002), “Brokenheartsville” (2003), “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” (2005) and “Gimme That Girl” (2010), Nichols will be the headline entertainer at the Pasa-dena Rodeo on Sept. 14. His live show promises to be a crowd-pleaser as well. As Joe describes it, “We’ve got a lot of humor. We’ve got a lot of energy. We’ve got a lot of classic, old songs that we like to put into the show to keep people on their toes and to make sure they remember who paved the way for us. At the end of the day I’d like for people to walk away thinking, ‘Man! That show included everything, and we sure got our money’s worth.’” For more information, see the websites www. pasadenarodeo.com and www.joenichols.com. “The new music is being produced now by Tony Brown and Mickey Cones, and we’re getting some great songs and a great start,” Joe says. “It’s sounding really nice. The last couple of albums are dear to me, and I love what we were able to put out, but this album feels like it takes me back to several years ago when I was singing at my best. I’m planning to have some originals on it. I’ve been writing my tail off! But, I don’t know. I’ve never been the guy that says, ‘I have to write some of this stuff. I’ve always wanted the best songs no matter where they come from, and, sometimes, I got lucky and had a

Joe Nichols

James Harvey

LIVE AT THE PASADENA RODEO SEPT. 14 'I haven’t sounded this good in a long time,” says country music star Joe Nichols of the new music he is currently creating for his forthcoming eighth studio album. Best known for the No. 1 hit songs, “The Impossible” (2002), “Brokenheartsville” (2003), “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” (2005) and “Gimme That Girl” (2010), Nichols will be the headline entertainer at the Pasadena Rodeo on Sept. 14. His live show promises to be a crowd-pleaser as well. As Joe describes it, “We’ve got a lot of humor. We’ve got a lot of energy. We’ve got a lot of classic, old songs that we like to put into the show to keep people on their toes and to make sure they remember who paved the way for us. At the end of the day I’d like for people to walk away thinking, ‘Man! That show included everything, and we sure got our money’s worth.’” For more information, see the websites www.Pasadenarodeo.com and www.joenichols.com. “The new music is being produced now by Tony Brown and Mickey Cones, and we’re getting some great songs and a great start,” Joe says. “It’s sounding really nice. The last couple of albums are dear to me, and I love what we were able to put out, but this album feels like it takes me back to several years ago when I was singing at my best. I’m planning to have some originals on it. I’ve been writing my tail off! But, I don’t know. I’ve never been the guy that says, ‘I have to write some of this stuff. I’ve always wanted the best songs no matter where they come from, and, sometimes, I got lucky and had a couple of songs worthy.” Known for his ability to recognize great songs, Joe reveals his winning formula: “If I hear a song and it’s tough to listen to, then it’s probably going to be tough to listen to on the radio if it’s too wordy, if it’s not a coherent thought, or is not a catchy melody. It needs a hook, it needs a melody, and I think the lyric needs to be compelling. And number one overall: believability. If I listen to a song and I don’t believe it, I’m not going to sing it like I believe it.” Regarding his songwriting formula, Joe adds, “Sometimes I’ll walk into an office with a couple of great writers with an idea, and within an hour, we’ll have a verse and a chorus and half of a second verse, and we haven’t even had lunch yet. And there are some days that we bang on a guitar for four hours without one solid idea. Sometimes the feeling is right, the chemistry is right between the writers, and you just know you’ve got a hit. That’s why a lot of these writers have several hits with the same group of people. Because they become comfortable with each other, and they know that when they have a good idea, they keep running with it. That’s a good formula. I like that about Nashville. They have such a good handle on streamlining creativity, a good handle on how to know when magic is happening and not get in the way.” Born and raised in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1976, Joe was inspired to become a country singer by his dad, Mike Nichols, who was a truck driver and a local country musician. Joe, however, cites Merle Haggard as his greatest musical influence. “I used to sit in my room and mimic his and Keith Whitley’s records all the time when I got my first pawn-shop guitar back when I was, maybe, 11 or 12. I can remember getting that after working all summer long for this little old lady, Mrs. Louise Smith, about 80 years old, who lived down the road. I worked for a buck-fifty an hour until I made enough money to buy this pawn-shop guitar for 40 dollars. It had strings that were about an inch and a half off the neck. It felt like I was gripping sandpaper on that thing, but I learned how to play some songs on my own. Over and over, I listened to songs of Merle, Keith Whitley, Don Williams, Randy Travis and many of those old country guys.” Joe began writing and performing songs at age 15, and he was signed to his first recording contract at age 19. By the time he was 21, Joe had moved to Nashville and had begun “paying his dues.” In 2002, he got his big break when he was signed to Universal South Records (now Show Dog-Universal Records). His second studio album, Manwitha Memory, sold platinum, yielded back-to-back No. 1 hits, and earned him three Grammy nominations. On the strength of these accomplishments, Joe was named the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist of 2003, and he was awarded the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award the same year. Since then, he has toured the country with both Alan Jackson and Toby Keith, and he has even toured Switzerland and Australia. In addition, Joe entertained American soldiers on a tour of the Middle East. After becoming a star in his own right, Joe was able to sing for Merle Haggard in what he counts as his most memorable musical moment. As Joe tells it, “I got to sing for Merle at Buck Owens’ place (the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California). Before Buck died, he brought a bunch of people together to do this tribute concert to guys he’d made bronze statues of, like Willie (Nelson), George Jones, George Strait, Garth (Brooks), himself, Ray Price, Patsy Cline. Anyway, he had this big concert with me, Dierks (Bentley), and a bunch of other younger guys that were there. Merle drove down from his house near Lake Shasta, and I got to sing Merle Haggard songs with Merle sitting on the stage watching the show. It was the coolest little moment for me because it was one of those things where I could picture myself as a 12-year-old kid listening to this guy on a tape and thinking, ‘Man, there’s nobody like this guy. I hope one day to meet him.’ And here I was singing on stage with him there watching me singing ‘Footlights’ and ‘Okie from Muskogee.’ I was just amazed by that moment.” Joe also recorded a duet with country music legend Gene Watson, whose songs have appeared on a number of Joe Nichols’ albums. As Joe tells it, “On In a PerfectWorld, I sang a duet with Gene. I’ve always said that Gene Watson was the most underrated singer of country music of all time, because I think he’s an incredible singer and that he never really got his full due. It was a big honor to get to sing with him on his record. And yeah, I’ve cut ‘Farewell Party’ and ‘Should I Come Home (or Should I Go Crazy).’ I’ve had a good streak of albums where I cut a Gene Watson song on every one of them. He’s got some great songs, and he sings great still, and I’m proud to know him.” Of all he has accomplished in the past decade, what is his greatest adventure so far? According to Joe, “My greatest adventure has been marriage. I never knew what it would be like to be married, and I never considered myself to be the kind of person who would ever be married. But that has been an adventure! Man, I’ve changed so much since the day I got married, and for the better. I think it’s a wild adventure. I’ve become a different person that I never thought I’d be. I’m head- over-heels in love with somebody, and I never thought that was possible for me. But, here I am…married for almost five years now. And I’ve got a little baby girl that brightens my day just by hearing her.” Joe married his “sweetheart wife” Heather Singleton, whom he has known since they were both 19 years old, in 2007. Their first child, Dylan River Nichols, was born in April 2012. “I also have a 13-year-old (daughter Ashelyn) that is about to turn 14, and that, in itself, is becoming quite the adventure in another way.” Joe quips Besides marital bliss, and professional contentment, what’s next on Joe’s wish list? “I’d like to just create my own tour the way I’d like to create it one day, and just go out there and have sort of a Brooks-and-Dunn-type circus,” Joe muses. “From the late ‘90s to the early 2000s, they had a ‘festival’ kind of thing all day. I’d like to do that one day. Of course, I’d like to go to the Grammys and bring one home. That’d be nice. That is one of the deals where, once you get nominated, you just think, ‘Wow! It doesn’t even matter at this point whether I win it or not.’ But after being nominated a few times, it would be a really cool deal to bring one home.” Of his place in country music history, Joe adds, “I’d like to be remembered as someone who influenced a lot of people like I was influenced. I really don’t want to be remembered as the next ‘somebody.’ I want to be remembered as the first ‘me,’ and for something that nobody else has done. I don’t know what that is yet, but I hope this story gets even more amusing.” Having achieved so much in the past decade, Joe remains appreciative of his past and hopeful for his future. As he concludes, “I’m sure happy that I’ve been given all the opportunities that I’ve been given. I think we’ve capitalized on most of them, and I’ve had a good time. I’m in the midst of making a really cool batch of new music. So, I think, to be me right now…the schedule’s a little crazy, and sometimes, I don’t know which way is up… but I’m incredibly thankful every day for all the blessings I’ve been given from above.”

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