(CSC) 1. It’s great to be with you here on the road in Miami, Florida. What’s new in the world of Joe Nichols so far in 2024?
(Joe Nichols)
What's new? Well, so far, we've had extreme weather. We've done a show in Minnesota in about three feet of snow. And, we did a country music cruise where it's beautiful sunshine down in the Bahamas and no sea sickness. So that's good, and that's kind of how our 24 is kicking off!
(CSC) 2. It's hard to believe it's been two years (January 31st, 2022) since you released, “Good Day For Living.” Looking back, what are some of your most favorite memories from the musical journey of that record?
(Joe Nichols)
Wow! My favorite memories, gosh, you know the daily grind of the single “Good Day for Living” you know, it's like the little single that could. That song was on the chart for nearly a year and a half, and it was one of these songs that just, it would get up to 30 and people were like, oh man, that's probably gonna be it, and then it'd get to 29 and 28 and so on. Everybody thought that single would die in the 40s or 50s, but it just kept going and became another top 15 record for us and did really well. Got a lot of airplay! I think, you know, if the airplay would have all been synced up a little bit quicker, that song would have been close to number one, if not certainly top 5.
(CSC) 3. Have you started working on and recording a follow up to “Good Day For Living,” and if so when can fans expect to hear new material?
(Joe Nichols)
Yeah, we have been working on follow up stuff and I'm excited about it because it's throwback stuff, and I'm always into throwback stuff. It feels like the early stuff that I did, and actually even further back on into nineties country. We've got a couple of good dance songs on there. One called “Hard Fires,” one called “Helpless in a Honky Tonk,” which is kind of right up my alley, you know, its that very George Strait country feeling, heavy on the steel guitar, good dance song. A lot of that stuff. I'm really excited about people hearing the new stuff. Vocally I'm in a good place too. So that's always helped me out to be really in a good place when we go in and do vocals.
(CSC) You said Hard Fires?
(JN) Yeah. Hard Fires. So, the line is old flames are hard fires to put out.
(CSC) When do you hope to have the album out by?
(JN) I think the plan is that this record will be probably out sometime late summer, early fall. So that's assuming “Brokenhearted” just keeps on trucking and we have new stuff, and ready to go in late summer.
(CSC) 4. You’ve been in the business for over 25 years, looking back on the early days of your career, what has been the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned or been taught?
(Joe Nichols)
The most valuable lesson I've had to learn... A wise man once told me, and I don't know how over PG we can get here. I'll keep it PG. A wise man once told me, the most expensive thing you'll ever buy is your own bull crap. And I tell you what, over the 20 something years I've been doing that, that has been true to the core. And so, I've learned lessons over and over again to not believe my own lies that I make up in my head; what's good, what's not good, what's authentic, what's not authentic musically, business sense you know, it's just good to rely on other people and their wisdom. And, if you trust them, they're going to shoot you straight. And I'll tell you what, sometimes you don't shoot yourself straight, and you end up getting in trouble.
(CSC) 5. You credit your wife Heather in helping you overcome the tough chapters of your life in dealing with addiction. When did you first realize there was a problem worth tending to and how did she aide your healing?
(Joe Nichols)
Well, it's been a struggle my whole adult life, I think. You know, I think, when I married Heather, I was fighting a good fight. I was trying and I just couldn't get there. You know, we were married about a month before I had to go and do treatment the first time. And it was one of those embarrassing things that, you know, media knew about. And, you know, here I was brand new married. And what does she think of me? But, you know, I had to do it. I had to go get, get healthy. And, that took for a little bit. It's one piece of the puzzle. I had to go out and do some more research and figure out, you know, I am what I am, and had another little vacation as I like to put it. And eventually over the years I learned what I just said, which is I can't lie to myself, and because that's an expensive thing to buy. And so, in doing so, I had to eventually get to where I could tell the truth to myself and ask God for help. And those things happened, and I’ve been sober since then.
Enjoy Part II of our interview with Joe Nichols below:
(CSC) 6. How did you two first meet, and what are some of the most important traits about your wife that you admire the most?
(Joe Nichols)
Well, one thing I'll go with the latter half of that question first. She's an amazing person. She's a very loyal person and a very determined person, you know she could've given up on me a million times and she didn't, you know, I've been less than a stellar human being on many occasions, and she forgave me and helped me correct course. And so that takes a really courageous and decent kind, loving person. So that's who she is to me.
When we first met in 1995 at a place called the Reo Palm Isle, her dad owned this honky tonk. And I played there when I was doing club gigs, playing five nights a week, six nights a week, five or six sets a night. And she was in from her freshman year of college visiting her dad's club. And, I was there and I hit on her. She had a boyfriend, wouldn't have anything to do with me, but we became friends. And it wasn't too long after that we started up a romance.
(CSC) 7. Being heavily influenced by greats George Jones, Merle Haggard and Randy Travis, what are some of your favorite songs of theirs and what have they taught you personally as an artist?
(Joe Nichols)
Well, not only did they teach me how to sing, you know, guys like Jones and Haggard and Randy Travis and George Strait, a lot of those guys taught me resilience. You know, a lot of those guys stories are way more, you know, chaotic and roller coaster rides than mine even. And they fought, they got back up and fought again and had hits and, you know, they became icons. I think, like I said, because their resilience, not just their iconic voices. But the other thing is they taught me how to sing, you know [laughs], whether they know that or not.
With Haggard, I've always liked “Footlights,” that's always been my favorite Haggard song because I just relate to it so personally in many, many different ways. With Jones, I've always loved “Bartender Blues,” I love that and I love James Taylor's version as well; but yeah, great song. And Randy Travis, boy, I've always been, I've always liked “Promises,” [laughs]. I thought that was just brilliant work. Him and a guitar, vocally incredible, well written, just a great Randy Travis song!
(CSC) 8. You are quite the road warrior! What’s your average routine on show days, and what goes into preparing for your high energy live performances?
(Joe Nichols)
Yeah, my normal routine out on the road is usually try to get somewhere and get a good workout in as quickly and as efficiently as I can, somewhere I can get a good sweat, think about the day, think about what's going to happen in the evening, do business on the treadmill basically. And then find a good place to lay my head and get a good nap. And try to wake up with a clear head. Get ready for show. This is kind of the beginning of the day for me, so I wake up just like I'm having my first cup of coffee here getting ready for the show.
(CSC) 9. What has being a father taught you and how do you keep the healthy balance between family and your professional life?
(Joe Nichols)
Being a father has taught me, you know, to live for others above myself. Sometimes you gotta eat pride and do you know, do something for others. I tell you what, as a selfish guy, a single guy for a long time, being married can kind of get you on the right path for that living for others. And then when you have children, the children kind of ups the ante, you know, nothing I do nowadays, really nothing is about me anyway. It's about Him [pointing up to God], and it's about my three children. And I think Heather’s in the same boat as me; she lives for others as well. So that's how it's changed me completely. If you ask this guy 20 years ago, you know 25 years ago, like, “do you ever see yourself settling down?” And I said, absolutely not, not in a million years because I like being selfish, I think. But it's amazing how He [God], likes to change things.
(CSC) 10. What would you like to share with your fans and what can they expect next from you?
(Joe Nichols)
You know what I'd like to say to the fans more than anything, thank you! You know, you guys have been loyal. You're the best fans in any industry, any entertainment industry. And my fans are just, they're so awesome. They keep up with me and my family, and they're incredible people, thoughtful people that come to shows, and I don't get to thank them enough. And so, number one, thank you! The fans have taught me I have a little bit of freedom to screw up every now and then, you know, musically and personally, whatever. And they're still going to come to shows and still say howdy. And I think that's awesome. Only country fans are like that. You know, I think only country fans are as forgiving as they are. I got some new stuff coming, some new country music! You know, I'm here, I’m still making records. This will be my 11th studio album and I cannot believe that. That's a crazy high number. And you know, I'm proud to be still doing this, still getting paid every now and then [laughs] to do it. And it's because of the fans, man, because the fans are so great!
For all things Joe Nichols, check out his official website; www.JoeNichols.com
Comments