Joe Nichols

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 16 Aug 2003 5:41 pm

I just picked up Joe Nichols' CD "Man With A Memory". Great CD. Not to mention some great steel playing by Mr. Hughey, Mr. Dugmore, Mr. White and some PedaBro by Mr. Johnson. But what I wanted to bring up is the quality of Joe's voice. You can tell that Merle Haggard was an influence. "Can't hold a halo" is one fine example. Very reminicent of Merle's voice and phrasing (takes me back to the "BarRooms to BedRooms" and "Serving 190 Proof" albums. Hell, he sounds more like Merle than Merle does.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 16 Aug 2003 7:03 pm

Depending on weather and the family social situation I may get to see Joe next Friday
in Centre Hall Pa.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Aug 2003 5:21 am

I, too, like Joe Nichols a lot - he's the best singer in the genre since Joe Diffie, in my opinion.

I heard 'Brokenheartsville' on the radio again yesterday, and I was reminded of just how good he seems to be - I say 'seems' just in case his voice is somehow digitally enhanced in the studio (for pitching), and they're pulling the wool over our eyes.

I doubt this is the case - he has a great timbre, and chops to match. The fact that he's making country records is the icing on the cake.

That's my full ration of metaphors for the day....

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Roger Rettig

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Aug 2003 5:24 am

Hey, Janice - isn't Terry Crisp doing Joe's gig? That promises to be a great night - a REAL country singer and one of the great steel players - I hope you get to go!

RR

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 17 Aug 2003 6:21 am

Roger, the music is reminicent of Peter and Gordon. "World Without Love." Do you know who played on that session in '64?

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 17 Aug 2003 7:05 am

Just as an aside-if it sounds like Peter and Gordon, what it really sounds like is McCartney. He wrote a lot of their songs, including world without love, although it is credited to Lennon as well. McCartney had a long term relationship with Peter Asher's sister Jane, who was at the time and continues to be one of Britain's most highly regarded actresses.

JB

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Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 17 Aug 2003 9:46 am

Thanks for telling me who was playing with him. Also seeing Donna next Monday with Bill Anderson.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 18 Aug 2003 12:20 pm

Larry

Contrary to what some may think, Peter & Gordon, while they 'surfaced' during the Merseybeat boom of the early-'60s, were not from Liverpool. There was a connection of some sort between 'Peter' and McCartney, and that's how they got hold of that Lennon-McCartney song.

They were signed to EMI, and their music director was an 'old school' guy named Geoff Love (he had a psuedonym - 'Manuel and his Music of the Mountains - !!!! - under which guise he churned out muzak like an English Lawrence Welk); the musicians on P&G's records were all London session players booked by Mr Love, and were doing their best to emulate the rudimentary enthusiasm of the Liverpool bands at that time.

I don't know much about the personel on that record - in '64 I was still a road-warrior in the UK, and had only done a handful of sessions myself - but I CAN tell you that the guitar player was studio-stalwart Vic Flick (a VERY busy player back then).

The tempo, changes, and the opening guitar figure on Joe Nichols are indeed reminiscent of that old single.

In case anyone's unaware, Peter was in fact Peter Asher - he went on to produce James Taylor's albums throughout the '70s; the Beatle connection was almost certainly Peter's position at their 'Apple Records' label - James Taylor's very first album was made under this flag in London in '68....

From little acorns!

RR<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 18 August 2003 at 02:12 PM.]</p></FONT>

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 19 Aug 2003 2:33 am

Richard,

After reading your 'post' above, I went and bought the CD - I'm delighted with it!

There's not a poor song on it, his singing is close to perfect (as you say, shades of Merle!), and the musicians have been allowed to play with freedom - there are even steel solos on a couple of songs! Of course, I suppose that means they'll never be 'singles' (you can't waste 'air-time' on solos any more!), but they're a delight all the same.

A fine album!

RR

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 19 Aug 2003 4:46 am

A totally irrelevant aside, for which I apologize

- Vic Flick, the guitarist Roger refers to above, was also the guitar player on the original James Bond theme...
And now back to your scheduled programming

Nick