Gary Nicholson (singer)

Last updated

Gary Nicholson
Born Commerce, Texas, U.S. [1]
Origin Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres Country
Blues
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
record producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1970s–present

Gary Nicholson is an American singer-songwriter [2] and record producer, known mainly for his work in country music and blues. He is a two-time Grammy winning producer and was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association Hall of Fame. [3] Nicholson has more than 500 recordings and is best known for his work with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Ringo Starr, B. B. King, Fleetwood Mac and Billy Joe Shaver. [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Nicholson was born in Commerce, Texas. He grew up in Garland, Texas and began playing guitar in his teenage years in bands such as "The Valiants", "The Catalinas" and "The Untouchables". Afterward, Nicholson attended University of North Texas, majoring in music. [5]

Career

Early career

In 1970, Nicholson and his band drove to Los Angeles, California. The band won a talent contest at the Palomino Club and met musicians James Burton, Red Rhodes and Clarence White. Afterwards, he formed the bluegrass/folk trio, "The Whitehorse Brothers", playing in Southern California. The group expanded and became "Uncle Jim's Music" and was signed to MCA/Kapp records for two albums. [6]

In 1973, Nicholson moved back to Texas and started the rock/country band "Hot Sauce". During this time, he first played with Delbert McClinton. His friend and bandmate, Jim Ed Norman, recorded Nicholson's song "Jukebox Argument", sung by Mickey Gilley in the film Urban Cowboy . [6]

In 1980, Nicholson signed with Norman's Jensong Music and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. [7] He played lead guitar for Guy Clark during the recording of the album Better Days. Mickey Gilley recorded Nicholson's songs "Your Love Shines Through" and "Ladies Night". During this time, he also played guitar for such artists as Billy Joe Shaver, Bobby Bare and Guy Clark. [4]

In 1983, Nicholson signed a publishing contract with Tree Publishing (now Sony/ATV Music Publishing). [8] [9] He achieved his first number 1 hit in 1984 with the song "That's the Thing About Love", recorded by Don Williams and "The Power of Love", recorded by Charley Pride. In 1986, he wrote six songs for T. Graham Brown's debut album and in 1987 the title and five others on his second release, Brilliant Conversationalist. [10]

He penned a number 1 hit in 1993 with "One More Last Chance" recorded and co-written by Vince Gill. In 1995, Nicholson co-wrote six songs with John Prine for his album, Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings . He co-wrote a song for Waylon Jennings called "Working Without a Net" in 1996. He received ASCAP Awards in 1997 for the songs, "Givin' Water to a Drowning Man", by Lee Roy Parnell, and "A Thousand Times a Day", by Patty Loveless. Nicholson also left Sony/ATV Music Publishing to start his own publishing company, Gary Nicholson Music ASCAP, during this time. In 1998, Nicholson wrote the album title and single "Trouble with the Truth" by Patty Loveless. In 1999, his song "Live, Laugh, Love" was the album title and single for Clay Walker. [4] [6]

Later career

In 2001, his song "She Couldn't Change Me" by Montgomery Gentry reached number two on Billboard Hot Country Songs. In 2002, Nicholson's song "Squeeze Me In" became a hit duet for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. He also charted for the singles, "When Love Gets Ahold of You" by Reba McEntire, "Back in Your Arms Again" by The Mavericks and "The Reason Why" by Vince Gill. [10] In 2003, he co-wrote the single "Never Without You" with Ringo Starr and has collaborated on each of his last five records. [11] In 2008, Nicholson co-wrote the title song, "Skin Deep", for Buddy Guy, which was number one on the Billboard Blues Chart and Grammy nominated. He co-wrote "The Git Go" with Billy Joe Shaver for Willie Nelson's Band of Brothers album, and co-wrote "It Ain't You" with Waylon Jennings, as a Ray Benson/Willie Nelson duet. [4]

Nicholson has more than 500 recordings of his songs during his career. [12] He has co-written songs with many notable songwriters and artists including Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Neil Diamond, Vince Gill, Los Lonely Boys, Jimmy Webb, Michael McDonald, Brad Paisley, among others. [13] [14]

Production

During his career, Nicholson has produced five projects for Delbert McClinton, winning Grammys in the Best Contemporary Blues category for the albums "Nothing Personal" in 2001 [15] and "Cost of Living" in 2005. [16] Nicholson has also produced for Billy Joe Shaver, The Judds, Wynonna, Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown and Marcia Ball. [17]

Awards and recognition

He was nominated to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 and inducted into Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association Hall of Fame in 2011. He has received ASCAP Awards for the songs, "Giving Water to a Drowning Man" and "A Thousand Times a Day". [17]

Personal life

On June 30, 1973, Nicholson married Barbara Ellendorff. He is from Garland, Texas and has lived in Nashville, Tennessee since 1980. [18]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbumLabel
1971Uncle Jim's Music – Uncle JimKapp Records
1972Uncle Jim's Music – There's A Song in ThisKapp Records
2000Gary Nicholson – The Sky Is Not the LimitArdeo Records
2000Fortunate Sons – Fortunate SonsFortune Records
2008Whitey Johnson – Whitey JohnsonSlow Moving Records
2010Gary Nicholson – Nashville SongbookFour Sons Recordings
2011Gary Nicholson – Texas Songbook [12] Bismeaux Records

Songs in film

FilmSongArtist
Urban Cowboy"Jukebox Argument"Mickey Gilley [19]
Message in a Bottle"Beyond The Blue"Beth Nielsen Chapman [19]
Happy Texas"Are You Happy Baby"Lee Roy Parnell [19]
Where the Heart Is"Beyond The Blue"Emmylou Harris/Patty Griffin [19]
Crazy Heart"Fallin and Flyin"Jeff Bridges [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Webb</span> American songwriter, composer, and singer

Jimmy Layne Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He achieved success at an early age, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21. During his career, he established himself as one of America's most successful and honored songwriter/composers.

Outlaw country is a subgenre of American country music created by a small group of iconoclastic artists active in the 1970s and early 1980s, known collectively as the outlaw movement, who fought for and won their creative freedom outside of the Nashville establishment that dictated the sound of most country music of the era. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Paycheck and David Allan Coe were among the movement's most commercially successful members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Joe Shaver</span> American country singer (1939–2020)

Billy Joe Shaver was an American singer, songwriter and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Hudson (musician)</span> American songwriter and record producer

Mark Jeffery Anthony Hudson is an American musician, record producer and songwriter based in both Los Angeles and New York City. After first rising to prominence as a performer, songwriter and TV personality in the 1970s as a member of the Hudson Brothers trio, Hudson achieved independent success as record producer and songwriter, working with a broad variety of artists including Cher, Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Hanson, Harry Nilsson, and the Baha Men.

Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman was an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is known for working in R&B, pop music and country music, operating American Sound Studios and producing hit albums like Elvis Presley's 1969 From Elvis in Memphis and the 1985 debut album for The Highwaymen. Moman won a Grammy Award for co-writing "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song", a 1975 hit for B.J. Thomas.

Delbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist.

<i>Honky Tonk Heroes</i> 1973 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Honky Tonk Heroes is a country music album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of the final track on the album, "We Had It All", all of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver. The album is considered an important piece in the development of the outlaw sub-genre in country music as it revived the honky tonk music of Nashville and added elements of rock and roll to it.

<i>This Time</i> (Waylon Jennings album) 1974 studio album by Waylon Jennings

This Time is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1974, at the peak of the outlaw country movement. It was produced by Jennings and Willie Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Kear</span> Musical artist

Josh Kear is a multi-Grammy Award winning songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Charles Randolph Goodrum is an American songwriter, pianist, and producer. Goodrum has written number one songs in each of the four decades since his first number one hit, 1978's "You Needed Me".

Robert Lee McDill is a retired American songwriter, active from the 1960s until 2000. During his career he wrote or co-wrote 31 number one country hits. His songs were also recorded by popular artists of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, including The Grateful Dead, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Anne Murray, and B. J. Thomas. His music credits in film include Primary Colors, The Thing Called Love, Texasville, and the documentary Grizzly Man. In addition to four Grammy nominations McDill received Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. In October 2012, McDill was awarded ASCAP's Golden Note Award in recognition of his "extraordinary place in American popular music." In September 2015 he received the Academy of Country Music's Poet's Award for lifetime achievement. In April 2023 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is the author of two books: Tales of the Old River Rod and Gun, Bloody Mary Society andGentleman's Club and The Ancestors and Descendants of Robert Nathanial McDill.

Larry Joel Henley was an American singer and songwriter, best known for co-writing the 1989 hit record "Wind Beneath My Wings".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Fritts</span> American singer-songwriter (1942–2019)

Donald Ray Fritts was an American session musician and songwriter. A recording artist in his own right, he was Kris Kristofferson's keyboardist for over forty years. In 2008, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Stapleton</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1978)

Christopher Alvin Stapleton is an American country singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born in Kentucky, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1996 to earn an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, but dropped out to pursue a career in music. Shortly after, he signed a contract with Sea Gayle Music to write and publish his music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Neel</span> Musical artist

Johnny Neel is an American vocalist, songwriter, and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and being a member of the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band.

<i>Room to Breathe</i> (Delbert McClinton album) 2002 studio album by Delbert McClinton

Room to Breathe is a solo studio album by American blues rock singer-songwriter Delbert McClinton. It was released on August 24, 2002 via New West Records. It was recorded at Sound Emporium at Nashville, Tennessee with additional recording at Bismeaux Studio in Austin, Texas. Production was handled by Gary Nicholson and McClinton himself.

John Barlow Jarvis is an American songwriter, composer, session pianist and recording artist. Before moving to Lake Tahoe in 2014, he had lived in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Garcia (musician)</span> Music producer and songwriter

David Arthur Garcia is an American record producer and songwriter. He has received four Grammy Awards, and has won nine GMA Dove Awards, for his songwriting and record production. He was honored with the ASCAP Christian songwriter on the year award, in 2015. He co-wrote and produced the smash hit single "Meant to Be" with Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line, and co-produced "Let You Down" by NF.

Mark David Bright is an American country music producer, songwriter, and publishing company executive based in Nashville. His peers call Bright "one of the architects of the modern contemporary country sound". Bright's most noted success in producing records has been with the country acts BlackHawk, Rascal Flatts, and Carrie Underwood, but he has produced recordings for many artists including Reba McEntire, Sara Evans, Scotty McCreery, Lonestar, Peter Cetera, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, and Keith Urban

<i>Cost of Living</i> (Delbert McClinton album) 2005 studio album by Delbert McClinton

Cost of Living is a solo studio album by American blues rock singer-songwriter Delbert McClinton. It was released on August 23, 2005 through New West Records, making it his third studio album for the label. Recording sessions took place in Nashville, Tennessee at Fearless Recording on March 8–10, 2004, and at The Sound Emporium on February 7–8, 2005. Production was handled by McClinton himself along with Gary Nicholson, with Wendy Goldstein and Cameron Strang serving as executive producers.

References

  1. ↑ "Gary Nicholson | The Sky Is Not The Limit | CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ "TAXI A&R Interview: Gary Nicholson, Songwriting Producer". Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Awards Nominations & Winners". Grammy.com. April 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Gary Nicholson". AllMusic. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ Tarradell, Mario (June 29, 2011). "Spotlight on Texas Artists: Gary Nicholson, Greezy Wheels and Bigelow Station". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Bio". Gary Nicholson. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Songwriter Gary Nicholson enjoys best of both worlds » GoMemphis.com". Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ Interviewed by Michael Laskow. "TAXI A&R Interview: Gary Nicholson, Songwriting Producer". Taxi.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ Gary Nicholson. "Gary Nicholson – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Gary Nicholson". Nashville Songwriters Association International. November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  11. ↑ Stutz, Colin (December 29, 2014). "Ringo Starr Announces New Album, Tour for Spring 2015". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  12. 1 2 "The No Surf Review: Gary Nicholson – Texas Songbook". Nosurfmusic.com. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Songwriter Gary Nicholson enjoys best of both worlds". GoMemphis.com. August 25, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  14. ↑ Steve Leggett. "Seth Walker | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  15. ↑ Dexter, Kerry (March 6, 2001). "Delbert McClinton's Nothing Personal Actually Is". MTV. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  16. ↑ Collette, Doug (October 6, 2005). "Delbert McClinton: Delbert McClinton: Cost Of Living (2005)". All About Jazz. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  17. 1 2 "Gary Nicholson | The John Jarrard Foundation". Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  18. ↑ Tolbert, Gary (July 17, 1973). "Gary Nicholsons live in Van Nuys". The Garland Daily News. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Gary Nicholson – Biography". Yamaha Artists. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  20. ↑ Kurutz, Steven (February 6, 2010). ""Crazy Heart" Controversy Over Soundtrack Credit". Speakeasy. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.