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Gary Nicholson (singer)

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Gary Nicholson
File:Gary Nashville Photo.jpg
Background information
BornCommerce, Texas, United States[1]
OriginNashville, Tennessee, United States
GenresCountry,Pop,R&B,Blues
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Record producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1970s-present

Gary Nicholson is a number one hit songwriter, two time Grammy winning producer, recording artist, world traveling performer, and session guitarist.[2]

Nicholson's songs have been recorded by numerous country artists, including Garth Brooks, Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr,George Strait, Reba McEntire, the Dixie Chicks, George Jones, Montgomery Gentry, the Mavericks, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty, Billy Currington, Gary Allan, Keith Whitley, and many more. His songs have also been recorded by pop, R&B, and blues artists such as Dave Edmunds, John Mayall, Neil Diamond and B.B. King.[3]There are over five hundred recordings of Nicholson's songs in various genres.[4]

In addition to his Grammy winning records with Delbert McClinton, who has recorded over fifty of his songs, he has produced records for The Judds, Wynonna, Pam Tillis, Billy Joe Shaver, T Graham Brown, Chris Knight, Taylor Hicks, Seth Walker and others.[2]

His work has been included in many major motion pictures and television, the song “Falling and Flying “ is featured in the Oscar winning film “Crazy Heart” performed by Jeff Bridges.[2]

In 2006 he was nominated to the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and in 2011 he was inducted into the Texas Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.[2]

Biography

Nicholson began his career as a live performer in his native Texas. Fascinated by his older sister’s collection of classic rock ‘n’ roll records, he got his first guitar at age 10 so he could emulate the sounds of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino and the other “founding fathers.”[5]As a teen he played in British Invasion-inspired bands as the Valiants, the Catalinas and the Untouchables.[6]

While studying at North Texas State University in nearby Denton, Nicholson fell in with such other musical students as soon-to-be Eagle Don Henley and pianist/producer/arranger Jim Ed Norman, later president of the Warner Bros. Nashville label. Nicholson worked at night in club bands, and was also recruited to tour with the Nazz after Todd Rundgren left the group. Following a night in 1970 hanging out with Gram Parsons, Nicholson left college and, urged on by Parsons, moved with his band to Los Angeles.[7]

Their first night in Los Angeles, Gram Parsons met Nicholson's band at The Palomino, country music’s California headquarters. Nicholson’s band won the club’s talent contest that night and met Delaney Bramlett, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Red Rhodes and Tony Booth.[8]Parsons found the band a place to stay and Red Rhodes introduced them to Linda Ronstadt and her producer, John Boylan. Known as The White Horse Brothers, the group soon attracted attention by performing Nicholson’s original songs with bluegrass harmonies. Nicholson’s college classmates Don Henley and Jim Ed Norman joined him in L.A. Henley played drums with Nicholson’s band for its record-label showcase at The Troubadour, as well as on the demos that landed the group its recording contract.[9]

The Whitehorse Brothers played clubs and festivals in Southern California, that group expanded and became Uncle Jim's Music and was signed to MCA/Kapp records for two albums of his songs. Uncle Jim’s Music enlisted Boylan to produce its 1971 debut LP. Keyboardist Norman joined the band in time for its second album in 1972.[10]

In 1973, Gary Nicholson married his college sweetheart Barbara Ellendorff June 30, 1973 and returned to Texas[11]joining the rock/country band Hot Sauce and playing country music and blues with various groups mostly in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. Hot Sauce melded country-rock and blues and were sometimes joined by his guitar hero Freddie King at their weekly Sunday residency at Mother Blues in Dallas.[12]

Nicholson worked as a guitarist in Delbert McClinton’s band throughout the rest of the 1970's.[13]

Nicholson's breakthrough came in 1980[14] when he sent his college friend and Los Angeles bandmate Jim Ed Norman, who became a successful record producer in Nashville, a song called “Jukebox Argument,” which Norman recorded with singer Mickey Gilley for the movie Urban Cowboy.[15]

In June 1980, Nicholson signed with Jim Ed Norman's Publishing company and moved his wife and two young sons to Nashville. [16] [17] More of his songs were recorded by Mickey Gilley (Your Love Shines Through, Ladies Night),[18] Johnny Lee and others.

During this period Nicholson continued picking up gigs as a hired guitar, playing for such artists as Billy Joe Shaver, Bobby Bare, Gail Davies[19] and Guy Clark. He played lead guitar for Guy Clark on the album "Better Days", produced by Rodney Crowell. [20]

In 1983 Nicholson signed a publishing contract with Tree Publishing (now Sony/ATV Music Publishing).[21][22]

In 1984 Nicholson had his first No. 1 hit with "That’s the Thing About Love" by Don Williams.[23] Dozens more country hits followed including "The Power of Love” (Charley Pride, 1984), “Break Away” (Gail Davies, 1985), “Working Without a Net” (Waylon Jennings, 1986) and “Brilliant Conversationalist” (T. Graham Brown, 1987)[24] "One More Last Chance" by Vince Gill, "The Trouble With The Truth" by Patty Loveless, "She Couldn't Change Me" by Montgomery Gentry, "When Love Get's A Hold Of You" by Reba McEntire and more.[25]

After 14 years at Sony-Tree, he formed his own company, Gary Nicholson Music, in 1997.[26]

In 1997, Nicholson produced albums for River Road and Delbert McClinton and T. Graham Brown’s acclaimed Wine Into Water (1998). Nicholson produced Wynonna’s New Day Dawning and The Judds’ landmark Reunion in 2000. McClinton won Grammy Awards with the Nicholson-produced Nothing Personal (2001) and Cost of Living (2005).[27]

Nicholson's songs have been heard in the movies Crazy Heart, Major League, City of Hope, Message in a Bottle and Where the Heart Is.[28]

Nicholson was nominated to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 and inducted into Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. He has also won several ASCAP songwriting awards.[29]

He also performs as his bluesman alter ego, "Whitey Johnson" in the white suit, sunglasses and cap. He has a ‘Whitey Johnson’ band with different players in L.A., Texas and Nashville.[30]

Nicholson also works with SongwritingWith:Soldiers.[31]

Songwriting Discography

For full discography: http://www.garynicholson.com/songwriting-discography/

Further information on songs recorded: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_written_by_Gary_Nicholson

There are over five hundred recordings of his songs in various genres including country, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, and pop by such diverse artists as BB King, Garth Brooks, Bonnie Raitt, George Strait, Fleetwood Mac, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Etta James, John Prine, Dixie Chicks, Don Williams, Stevie Nicks, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Keb Mo, Ringo Starr, George Jones, The Neville Brothers, Reba McEntire, Robert Plant, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Guy Clark and the list goes on.[32]

Discography

Year Album Label
1971 Uncle Jim's Music - Uncle Jim Kapp
1972 Uncle Jim's Music - There's A Song In This Kapp
2000 Gary Nicholson - The Sky Is Not The Limit Gary Nicholson
2000 Fortunate Sons - Fortunate Sons Fortune
2008 Whitey Johnson - Whitey Johnson Palo Duro
2010 Gary Nicholson - Nashville Songbook Fearless Recordings
2011 Gary Nicholson - Texas Songbook[33] Bismeaux Productions

References

  1. ^ "Gary Nicholson | The Sky Is Not The Limit | CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  2. ^ a b c d [1]
  3. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-nicholson-mn0000153133/biography. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ https://beta.prx.org/stories/131935/details. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "Music City Roots".
  6. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ http://musiccityroots.com/artist/gary-nicholson/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ http://musiccityroots.com/artist/gary-nicholson/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ http://musiccityroots.com/artist/gary-nicholson/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ http://musiccityroots.com/artist/gary-nicholson/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-nicholson-mn0000153133/biography
  15. ^ http://musiccityroots.com/artist/gary-nicholson/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ^ GoMemphis: Entertainment News from The Commercial Appeal
  17. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ "Music City Roots".
  19. ^ GoMemphis: Entertainment News from The Commercial Appeal
  20. ^ GoMemphis: Entertainment News from The Commercial Appeal
  21. ^ Interviewed by Michael Laskow. "TAXI A&R Interview: Gary Nicholson, Songwriting Producer". Taxi.com. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  22. ^ Gary Nicholson. "Gary Nicholson - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  23. ^ "Music City Roots".
  24. ^ "Music City Roots".
  25. ^ http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Gary-Nicholson-Texas-Songbook-1407759.php. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ^ "Music City Roots".
  27. ^ "Music City Roots".
  28. ^ http://nodepression.com/article/gary-nicholsons-new-album-texas-songbook-pays-homage-home-state-bimeaux-records. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ^ Gary Nicholson | The John Jarrard Foundation
  30. ^ "Music City Roots".
  31. ^ "Songwriting with Soldiers".
  32. ^ https://beta.prx.org/stories/131935/details. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. ^ The No Surf Review: Gary Nicholson - Texas Songbook

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