Gary Nichols to Join The SteelDrivers; CMT Music Awards Nominees; Sugarland, Marty Stuart, Larry Cordle Plan New Albums
- The SteelDrivers chose Gary Nichols to take the place of Chris Stapleton.
The first night we met Gary he had driven up to Nashville to audition and had been asked to learn four of our songs. He sat down, had a shot of brown, and launched into Blue Side of the Mountain. Around the room, eyebrows raised and sly glances were exchanged. By the time the harmonies blended for the first chorus, we all knew he had the gig. He then ripped off the other three songs with ease, sang a couple more of ours that had caught his ear and proceeded to teach us a couple of his. After he left, the vote was unanimous.
- Nominees for the 2010 CMT Music Awards were announced earlier this morning.
- NPR is streaming a couple of tracks from the new Peter Wolf album Midnight Souvenirs; more specifically, the duets with Shelby Lynne and Merle Haggard.
- No release date has been set for the new Sugarland album, The Incredible Machine, but the duo hopes fans will be able to hear the new material this fall.
Nettles says that “The Incredible Machine” –both the album and their forthcoming tour — take inspiration from the “steampunk movement,” a branch of science fiction that imagines a world where humans evolved intellectually, but technology remained set in Victorian times. “I describe it emotionally as bungee jumping and eating chocolate cake,” she says. “It’s terrifying and gratifying, all at the same time.”
- Following a 27 year separation, Marty Stuart will return to Sugar Hill Records this summer to release a new record of traditional country music titled Ghost Train (The Studio B Sessions).
- Larry Cordle has a new album in the works that he considers more of a songwriter’s album than a band project.
- Country California Fake News: Reports of Waylon Jennings Sightings on the Rise
On Thursday, the Grand Ole Opry called police out to investigate an incident of vandalism. The words “Hank ain’t here so kiss my ass” and Waylon’s trademark Flying W logo were spray-painted in red on the doors to the hallowed establishment.
“Oh, it was him!” said “Blame It on Waylon” singer Josh Thompson, as Baptist Hospital nurses cleaned his head wounds after a separate incident.
- Saving Country Music confirmed that “Where Do You Want It,” a song Dale Watson wrote about Billy Joe Shaver‘s shooting, will appear on the new Whitey Morgan & The 78‘s album.
- The Billy Joe Shaver trial starts tomorrow.
- The New York Times‘ Jon Caramanica considers the new Gary Allan album the best country release so far this year:
The morbid “Along the Way” treads perilously close to Johnny Cash territory, holy ground Mr. Allan has more than earned the right to. The album closes with “No Regrets,” about his late wife, who took her own life in 2004. He’s plainly wounded — voice scraped and hollow, sapped of tension — but musters a bit of dignity and sunshine: “I’m so glad/When she was here/She was mine.”
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27 Comments
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April 5, 2010 at 11:17 am
I would have been perfectly fine if The SteelDrivers had gone on as is with Mike Henderson doing the lead vocals, but is sounds like he’s perfectly happy to be in the background. Best of luck to the new guy, and I’m looking forward to the new album.
Sugarland’s new tour ought to be pretty incredible visually, but I’m really interested to hear what a steampunk-country album would sound like.
April 5, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Sugarland just scared me off from wanting to listen to their new album.
April 5, 2010 at 12:08 pm
The Sugarland statement might be one of the more pretentious things I have read in quite awhile.
April 5, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I don’t know, since I have no idea what Nettles’ description actually means, I’m intrigued.
I guess the SteelDrivers like country music songwriters as their leads? I only know Gary Nichols as a songwriter, I can’t think of what his voice sounds like. I’m having trouble imagining as strong of a vocalist as Chris Stapleton though.
April 5, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Also…I’m excited about the upcoming Marty Stuart album.
April 5, 2010 at 12:21 pm
What is pretentious about Nettles’ statement?
April 5, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Leaann: Basically, think Doctor Who or Tim Burton’s version of Alice In Wonderland.
April 5, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Because somehow I found the idea of Sugarland making a concept album to be a bit much. Is he saying they are making the country version of Tommy? The Wall? Ziggy Stardust?
April 5, 2010 at 12:45 pm
I think Kristian Bush still wins on the pretentious Sugarland quotes front.
April 5, 2010 at 12:46 pm
I should have her, Nettles is the woman.
April 5, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Gary Nichols had a deal with MCA/Mercury Nashville for a minute around 2005. His voice is pretty soulful and not dissimilar from Stapleton’s wail. He’s the perfect replacement lead vocalist.
April 5, 2010 at 1:56 pm
I think I’m getting Gary Nichols mixed up with Gary Nicholson.
April 5, 2010 at 4:27 pm
The Sugarland quote basically made me roll my eyes. It’s pretentious, in the “Hipper-Than-Thou” sense that they’re trying to be sorta underground, based on that statement. It’s a very anti-mainstream concept, and one that is not going to be met with a lot of recognition from their fans.
For me, personally, any mention of Punk Music and Science Fiction can pretty much guarantee that I won’t purchase the disc.
Sugarland has always been one of those groups with little care for the “tradition” of Country music, but I think this goes a little too far.
April 5, 2010 at 5:06 pm
CMT videos: yawn
Ok..that does it. I need to find the extra money this week for Gary Allan’s “Get Off on the Pain”
Jennifer’s description of their next album does sound a little…well, honestly, I’d have to see/hear it to believe it.
April 5, 2010 at 6:21 pm
We can only hope that Nettles hits a sour note in that put on twang of her so bad that her head blows up and the little sausage inheritor/mandolin geek chokes on a flying piece of her skull.
April 5, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Yea…I don’t see Gary Nichols being quite the replacement for Chris Stapleton. Not quite the power I was hoping for.
April 5, 2010 at 6:44 pm
For all we know, Nettles isn’t necessarily inclined to suffuse the “steampunk” concept into their new music on a musical plane, but primarily on a thematic one, where the lyrics of some songs may touch on the discipline but the music doesn’t necessarily.
I’m keeping an open mind about this project and hope it doesn’t turn out to be something akin to Billy Idol’s disastrous, career-tainting cyberpunk experiment.
April 5, 2010 at 6:46 pm
It sounds like during auditions that the members of the Steeldrivers looked at each other knowingly when Gary sang and nodded to each other indicating “finally we’ve found someone who doesn’t suck!”. Maybe they should have asked Travis Tritt to audition…
So now Peter Wolf, the lead singer of the J. Geils Band, is going country! Who’s next, Steven Tyler? (Although Steven did yodel near the end of “Back In The Saddle Again”. Hmm..) Crikey.
“Ghost Train” is also the name of the best studio album released thus far from The Hot Club of Cowtown band! I hope this doesn’t cause major marketplace confusion! (lol)
I’m sure Jon W. is interested in Larry Cordle’s new project, and Juli makes two! That’s about it though.
April 5, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I like the title of Sugarland’s new album, they have such creative titles for their records =)
Not sure about the whole bungee jumping-cake thing though 0.o
April 5, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Charles Murphy, I am sure you did not really mean to wish for someone’s death just because you do not like their music. Sugarland’s concept for their upcoming record may not be “normal” but I for one appreciate anyone who still writes songs and plays instruments and tries to push the boundarys of what “country music” can sound like. It is not pretentious to have ideas. Though to read this comment section most of the time it seems like the readers of the 9513 have no interest in creativity anyhow. It must suck to hate everything all the time.
April 5, 2010 at 9:19 pm
I liked Gary Nichols’ two chart singles, “Unbroken Ground” and “I Can’t Love You Anymore”, so I’m glad to hear he has a new gig. Though he does have enormous shoes to fill.
April 5, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Anne Sheeps:
I for one appreciate anyone who still writes songs and plays instruments and tries to push the boundarys of what “country music” can sound like.
That’s rare? Cause it sums up about 90% of the music I listen to.
April 5, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Stormy: I am glad.
April 5, 2010 at 10:22 pm
That’s certainly an odd statement from Jennifer Nettles. It’s going to be interesting to watch the duo’s sound evolve. Kristian Bush notwithstanding, Sugarland is my favorite mainstream act right now by leaps and bounds.
I don’t expect them to steer too far from radio-friendly country so I think Noah’s statement about the steampunk influence being mostly thematic and not really related to the sound of the record is probably most accurate. Though their sound has never been anything resembling traditional country anyway …
April 7, 2010 at 8:47 pm
How rude- to think that the steeldrivers looks related to someone not sucking- and why would you think Travis Tritt could fill the slot. Do you think the steeldrivers machine was/is just about chris s? If so- you’ll have a surprise coming your way when you hear them live. You’ll rethink your way of thinking of how bands work.
December 30, 2010 at 2:40 am
Gary Nichols will be a fine replacement for Stapleton. In addition to soulful vocals (very similar to C. Stapleton’s) Gary is one of the finest lead guitar players Nashville has seen in quite some time.
LeeAnn Ward, you were confusing Gary Nichols with the also incredible Gary Nicholson, however Gary Nichols has had several cuts as a songwriter.
“Your Good Things Gone Bad” By James Otto w/ Ronnie Milsap
“No Mississippi” by Andy Griggs
As well as cuts by Bo Bice and Randy Travis.
He was originally on Dreamworks before that label folded into Mercury in 2005-2006. He released 2 singles “Unbroken Ground” which he cowrote and “Can’t Love You Anymore”
He also currently has a solo project released through FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL (his hometown) available on Itunes.
July 24, 2011 at 8:32 am
Ditto what BIGGIE said. Gary Nichols has been with The Steeldrivers for over a year now and everyone that goes to their shows seem to love him! I would suggest you see them live with Gary before you make negative comments. Gary is a crowd pleaser, he mingles with his fans, always recognizes children and he loves people. Oh yea, he is a great singer, songwriter, guitar player, and very goodlooking, so I would say that is the WHOLE package! Also, The Steeldrivers are all very good at what they do and it takes all five of them to make it work. Chris Stapleton is very good and I am a fan of his but when he was with The Steeldrivers it still took Mike H, Mike F, Richard and Tammy to make it work so please give them a little credit!