Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Joe Nichols: August 2006
Gene Watson's peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and rightly so!
All of Gene Watson's Peers who were contacted during 2006 were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of the Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Joe Nichols, which he submitted to this site on Wednesday 23 August 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Joe Nichols who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Sean Brady would also like to say 'thank you' to Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville for her help in acquiring this valuable quote from Joe Nichols.
Joe Nichols
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 23 August 2006.
'I grew up with Gene Watson's music and I consider him to be one of the best country singers ever.
Gene is definitely one of my musical heroes'.
Thank you, Joe Nichols, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Joe Nichols...
Joe Nichols was born Joe Edward Nichols in Rogers, Arkansas on Friday 26 November 1976 and grew up surrounded by the sound of traditional country music. Joe Nichols' father drove a truck but also played bass and sang. Joe would hear and watch his Dad perform at VFW dates. Like Joe's grandfather and uncles, his Dad played classic country music.
When he was twenty years old, Joe Nichols made his debut with a self-titled album on the independent Intersound label; 'Joe Nichols' (Intersound Records, 1996) included the singles 'Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of The Other', 'I Hate The Way I Love You', 'To Tell You The Truth, I Lied' and 'Wal-Mart Parking Lot Social Club'.
Not one of these singles charted on the Billboard Hot Country Tracks and Singles Chart in the United States, but 'Six Of One, Half A Dozen (Of The Other)' reached No.74 on the RPM Top Country Tracks Chart in Canada.
'Joe Nichols' (Intersound Records, 1996) was re-issued twice; firstly in 2002 as 'Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of The Other' (Row Music Group Records, 2002) and again in 2003 as 'The Early Years' (Infinity Nashville, 2003). The 2003 re-issue featured the tracks in a different order, as well as a bonus DVD featuring four videos.
Despite the minor success of the 'Six Of One, Half A Dozen (Of The Other)' single in Canada, 'Joe Nichols' (Intersound Records, 1996) did not sell well and Joe Nichols was subsequently dropped from the Intersound Records roster. A second record deal followed, this time with Warner Bros. Records, but it was short-lived and did not produce any singles or albums.
In 1999, Joe Nichols met Brent Rowan, a Nashville session guitarist who helped him land a recording contract with Universal South Records, then a newly-formed label.
In 2002, Joe Nichols saw the release of his second album, 'Man With A Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002); its lead-off single, 'The Impossible', reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart and was declared by Billboard as the tenth most-played country song of 2003.
'Man With A Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002) earned Joe Nichols a 'Top New Male Vocalist' Award from the Academy of Country Music (ACM), as well as three Grammy Award nominations and RIAA platinum certification. The album's second single, 'Brokenheartsville', became Joe Nichols' first No.1 hit on the Billboard country music singles chart in 2003, while 'She Only Smokes When She Drinks' and 'Cool To Be A Fool' (co-written by Wil Nance, Steve Dean and Joe Nichols) both reached the Billboard Top 20 country music singles chart.
Tracks on 'Man With A Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002) included Byron Hill's 'Joe's Place' (co-written with Mike Dekle), Wil Nance's 'Everything's A Thing' (co-written with Steve Dean and Joe Nichols) and 'Cool To Be A Fool' (co-written with Steve Dean and Joe Nichols), Jerry Salley's 'You Can't Break The Fall' (co-written with Mark McClurg) and Tom T. Hall's 'Life Don't Have To Mean Nothin' At All'.
In 2004, Joe Nichols saw the release of his second album for Universal South Records; 'Revelation' (Universal South Records, 2004) produced the Billboard Top Ten hits 'If Nobody Believed In You' and 'What's A Guy Gotta Do'.
Joe Nichols is such a devotee of Gene Watson that he recorded one of Gene's classic songs; Joe Nichols recorded Lawton Williams' 'Farewell Party' and included the track on 'Revelation' (Universal South Records, 2004).
The original version of Lawton Williams' 'Farewell Party' was recorded by Gene Watson and included on 'Reflections' (Capitol Records, 1978).
Tracks on 'Revelation' (Universal South Records, 2004) included Billy Yates' 'If I Ever Get Her Back' (co-written with Billy Lawson), Harley Allen's 'If Nobody Believed In You' and Byron Hill's 'Things Like That (These Days)' (co-written with Mike Dekle).
In 2005, Joe Nichols saw the release of his third album for Universal South Records, 'III' (Universal South Records, 2005). Its lead-off single, 'Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off', became his second Billboard No.1 hit; both the single and the album received 'Gold' certifications from the RIAA. 'III' also produced the Billboard Top Ten hits 'Size Matters (Someday)' and 'I'll Wait For You'. It was also in 2005, and again in 2006, that Joe Nichols joined Toby Keith on tours in the USA.
It was also on 'III' (Universal South Records, 2005) that Joe Nichols once again looked to the back catalogue of Gene Watson; Joe recorded Gene Watson's 'Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)' and included the track on 'III'.
The original version of 'Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)' was recorded by Gene Watson and the track was the title cut of 'Should I Come Home' (Capitol Records, 1979).
Tracks on 'III' (Universal South Records, 2005) included Byron Hill's 'Size Matters (Someday)' (co-written with Mike Dekle), Bill Anderson's 'I'll Wait For You' (co-written with Harley Allen) and Wil Nance's 'Honky Tonk Girl' (co-written with Steve Dean and Joe Nichols).
'Real Things' (Universal South Records, 2007) was the title of Joe Nichols' fourth Universal South Records album and was released in mid-2007; its lead-off single, 'Another Side Of You', reached the Top 20 on the Billboard country music singles chart, as did the follow-up, 'It Ain't No Crime'.
Other tracks on 'Real Things' (Universal South Records, 2007) included a cover of Merle Haggard's 'If I Could Only Fly' (which featured guest vocals from Lee Ann Womack), Dean Dillon's 'All Good Things' (co-written with Scotty Emerick) and Rivers Rutherford's 'Ain't Nobody Gonna Take That From Me' (co-written with Sam Tate and Annie Tate).
Overall, Joe Nichols' four studio albums for Universal South Records, 'Man With A Memory' (Universal South Records, 2002), 'Revelation' (Universal South Records, 2004), 'III' (Universal South Records, 2005) and 'Real Things' (Universal South Records, 2007) accounted for ten singles on the Billboard country music singles chart, including two No.1s and five more Top Ten hits.
On Sunday 9 September 2007, Joe Nichols married Heather Singleton in Savannah, Georgia; he had known Heather Singleton since they were both eighteen years old.
Joe Nichols' 'Old Things New' (Universal South Records, 2009) was released on Universal South Records in October 2009 and included Bill Anderson's 'Old Things New' (co-written with Paul Overstreet and Buddy Cannon), Shawn Camp's 'Man Woman' (co-written with Marv Green), Bill Anderson's 'Cheaper Than A Shrink' (co-written with Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson) and Jimmy Melton's 'We All Go Home' (co-written with Neal Coty and Michael Mobley).
Visit Joe Nichols' Official Site