JOE NICHOLS
Arkansas-native Nichols, known for his #1 hits like “Yeah”, “Brokenheartsville” and “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off”, more recently made the decision to return to his roots and embrace a more old-school, traditional-influenced country sound, evident on his latest album, fittingly titled ‘Never Gets Old’ (listen to the title track here ). In his own words: “The whole theme of the record is ‘Let’s get back to where it all began for me. Let’s get back to where my passion for music began.”
What Nichols loves has always been obvious. Growing up around friends who were into anything but country, he was different. Pulled in by the realness of singers like Merle Haggard and Marty Robbins, Don Williams, Keith Whitley and George Strait, that connection would inform his whole career. In fact, he covered Williams, Haggard, and other legends in his recent ‘Never Gets Old: Traditional Country Series’.
When Joe Nichols released his debut album, he was barely 20 years old and trying to put his youth behind him. Looking back now, he laughs at that thought, but some things never change. Back then he was scrappy and defiant about his quest to revive traditional country, and that drive remains. In fact, he says it’s one of those things that never gets old.
“I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” he says. “With my first album, there was this apprehension of ‘Is country music ready for a traditional country record?’ It was a little bit scary, but we went for it, and with Never Gets Old I still feel the exact same passion – it’s like ‘Let’s give it to them anyway.’ Now, I think country music is ready.”
MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
THEKLA BRISTOL
The Grove, Bristol BS1 4RB
Doors 7:30pm
Ages 14+
Advance tickets available from:
www.alttickets.com
www.gigantic.com
www.bristolticketshop.co.uk
