Joe Edward Nichols (born November 26, 1976 in Rogers, Arkansas) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Although he recorded his first album in 1996, it was not until the release of his 2002 single "The Impossible" that Nichols broke onto the country music scene. The single, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, was followed by the release of his second album, Man With a Memory.
To date, Nichols has recorded five studio albums; his most recent, titled Real Things, was released in 2007. He has also charted ten Top 40 singles on the U.S. Billboard country music charts, of which two -- "Brokenheartsville" and "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" -- reached Number One.
Biography
Nichols' father, a trucker, and grandfather were both amateur country musicians. Subsequently, Nichols played bass guitar and sang from an early age. He was known to busk for tips at a place called Rippy's in Nashville. At nineteen, he secured a record deal with Intersound Records before the label folded. After a period in the musical wilderness, in 1999, Nichols met studio guitarist Brent Rowan. Rowan went on to produce Nichols' 2002 album Man With a Memory, his first project with the Universal South Records imprint. The album earned Nichols three Grammy nominations for the album's first single, "The Impossible", which reached #1 on Radio & Records' country charts, and #3 on the Billboard country charts. The second single released, "Brokenheartsville" achieved even more success and became Nichols' first #1 single on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
After his commercial breakthrough, Nichols continued to be a regular performer at the Grand Ole Opry. A few days after his father died in 2002, Nichols performed the outlaw country legend Merle Haggard's classic, "Footlights," at the Opry. The following year, in 2003, Nichols won the CMA Horizon award.
Nichols toured with Alan Jackson in 2003. In 2005, Nichols released his fourth major studio album, titled III. The disc spawned his second Billboard number-one hit, "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." Also in 2005, Nichols joined superstar Toby Keith's 'Throwdown' Tour. In 2006, Nichols teamed up with Toby Keith again on the latter's Hookin' Up And Hanging Out arena tour.
In 2005, Anna Nicole Smith met Nichols at the Grand Ole Opry and she became a fan. A Smith impersonator had a feature role in Nichols video for "Cool to be a Fool". Nichols performed two songs, "Wings of a Dove" and "I'll Wait for You" at Smith's funeral service.[1]
Personal life
Joe Nichols married Heather Singleton on September 9, 2007 in Savannah, Georgia.
On October 13, 2007, Nichols was checked into a substance abuse rehabilitation program.
Discography
Albums
- A Joe Nichols was re-released in 2002 as Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other, and again in 2003 as The Early Years.
- B Reached #1 on US Heatseekers.
Singles
- A Failed to chart.
- B Reached #1 on Radio & Records country singles charts.
- C Charted from airplay received during the Christmas season.
- D "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Off" also peaked at #47 on the Pop 100, and #26 on Hot Digital Songs. The single was also certified gold in the U.S. by the RIAA for shipping 500,000 copies.
- E To be released.
References
- ^ The Funeral of Anna Nicole Smith. Entertainment Tonight (2007-03-02). Retrieved on 2007-04-16. “Also on hand was country singer JOE NICHOLS, who sang two songs requested by Howard -- "I'll Wait for You" and DOLLY PARTON's "Wings of a Dove" -- which is said to have been Anna's favorite country song. Anna met the singer at the Grand Ole Opry back in 2005 and was a fan of Nichols' music.”
