![\"joe-nichols-Issue-No31\"](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/joe-nichols-Issue-No31.jpg\")
JOE NICHOLS<\/b><\/h1>\nJOE NICHOLS<\/b><\/h1>\nWeighed down by label politics and dwindling\u00a0record sales, Joe Nichols went through a rough patch following the release of his 2011 album, It\u2019s All Good<\/i>. But after splitting with his label last year, he felt rejuvenated and refreshed as he embarked upon free agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was completely energized and free to go into the studio at will with my own budget,\u201d he says. \u201cThey were all my ideas, with no strings and no supervision. There weren\u2019t any deadlines to meet. I had the chance to knock it out and try something different. And that came with a feeling of confidence and comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his latest album, Crickets<\/i>, Nichols wanted to marry his traditional sensibilities with a contemporary sound. Now signed with Broken Bow Records imprint Red Bow, he aimed for mass appeal while stretching his wings artistically. \u201cIt\u2019s a constant challenge to appease myself and the audience,\u201d he says. \u201cSome of the traditional fans expect a certain thing from me. On a lot of these songs, the track is more progressive, but it\u2019s still a country vocal.\u201d<\/p>\n
So far, the reviews have been glowing. \u201cSunny and 75,\u201d the album\u2019s first single, became his first Top 10 in nearly four years. \u201cThe balance between the commercial and the artistic side is always tough,\u201d says the Arkansas native. \u201cIf I ever made the album I wanted to do artistically, it would be all ballads and hardcore country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leaning on his team, Nichols, 36, was able to relax and let the music be his guide. \u201cI can take little credit for the song selection,\u201d he says. \u201c[Broken Bow founder] Benny Brown tries to find the right song for me. He\u2019s always able to find these hidden gems in the woodwork.\u201d Meanwhile producers Derek George and Mickey Jack Cones urged Nichols to stretch beyond his comfort zone. \u201cThere were a lot of resources I would\u2019ve never envisioned,\u201d he says. \u201cThis approach of playing a country vocal and hooking it up with a fresh, modern sound was a good blend for radio.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nichols has also experienced some big changes closer to home. He and wife Heather welcomed a daughter last year, which offered perspective with his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I were to change the model from the beginning of my career, I\u2019d be a little more patient,\u201d he admits. \u201cI\u2019ve since learned to trust my instincts more. When you get busy on the road and you\u2019re constantly involved, you just keep trying to push yourself further. But in the end, you need to be your own biggest champion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013Blake Boldt<\/p>\n
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JOE NICHOLS Recharging his sound with a mix of modern and traditional country\u00a0 Weighed down by label politics and dwindling\u00a0record sales, Joe Nichols went through a rough patch following the release of his 2011 album, It\u2019s All Good. But after splitting with his label last year, he felt rejuvenated and refreshed as he embarked upon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[7328,3139],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11743"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11743"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11745,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11743\/revisions\/11745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}