MUSIC

Nichols’ new CD Crickets sounds like old Nashville

Arkansas-born country singer Joe Nichols
new publicity photo, 2013
Arkansas-born country singer Joe Nichols new publicity photo, 2013

Country singer and native Arkansan Joe Nichols will give up his age, but not without a qualifier.

“I’m 37 but I’m a youthful 37. Let’s say that!”

Nichols has a right to claim to be youthful even as he can only be considered mature, especially when compared to the 20-somethings who dominate country music. But he is holding his own among those upstarts. His latest album, Crickets, has generated the fifth No. 1 country song (“Sunny and 75”) for the baritone from Rogers.

Nichols will take the stage at 7:30 tonight at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. The concert is part of the Washington Regional Medical Center Gala. Backroad Anthem, a country band from Northwest Arkansas, is the opening act.

The recent success by Nichols is another intriguing step in a Nashville career that started in earnest in 2002 with Man With a Memory. The tag of neotraditionalist was an easy one to hang on Nichols, who sounded like the deep-voiced country vets of old and seemed to share their interest in melancholy songs. Nichols’ first significant hit was “Brokenheartsville.”

“It makes it seem like I’ve been around forever,” Nichols says. “Not a lot of guys are where I am - still here - and I am aware of that and I’m grateful for sure.”

Man With a Memor y pushed Nichols into the upper levels of country music and awards and honors followed - a nod from Academy of Country Music as Top New Male Vocalist as well as three Grammy nominations. Since 2003, Nichols has put out a new album about every two years. But that consistency hasn’t translated into smooth sailing behind the scenes. He has changed labels a couple of times and now is putting out music on Red Bow. Nichols is also out in the open about his struggles with addiction.

“I’ve had many years of therapy and lots of crashing and burning,” Nichols says without hesitation. “I am proud of this resurgence. I’ve probably been counted out four or five times and yet somehow keep hanging around.”

In the 12 short years since 2002, country music has shifted away from any hint of its traditional roots. Pedal steel guitars and fiddles that used to be standard operating equipment for songs coming out of Nashville are almost all gone. Upbeat guitar anthems rule the day in country music, dominating country radio stations and country sales charts. Nichols had this in mind while putting together Crickets.

The album “is half traditional songs, those throwback tunes, and the other half is more commercial,” Nichols says. “It’s by design. We have to compete in radio today. At the same time we wanted to appease the artistic urge.”

The reception of the single “Sunny and 75” by country radio and fans proved that Nichols could still make waves in modern country music: “It’s absolutely a huge hit for us. It makes us look smarter than we probably really are.”

Another interesting aspect of Crickets is another way the album harks back to the older ways of country music, back when the singers just sang songs written by the small army of pro songwriters camped out in Nashville. On Crickets, Nichols does not have a single songwriting credit or co-credit.

“If there’s nothing to say and no interesting way to say it, then I don’t have a problem letting others write my songs,” Nichols says. “Great careers are built on great songs and having an album with songs like that is important to me. I don’t need to pad my pocket in that way.”

Nichols admits he wants to write songs for his next album and wants it to be from a more personal point of view. He also understands that the way Crickets has reconnected him to current country music fans means that he’ll get a chance to make that next album.

He says, “I’m not riding off into the sunset just yet.”

Joe Nichols

Opening act: Backroad Anthem

7:30 p.m. today, Walton

Arts Center, Fayetteville

Tickets: $75

(479) 443-5600

waltonartscenter.org

Style, Pages 34 on 04/08/2014

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