On Stage 4/27: Gary Nicholson
Gary Nicholson
Residence: Nashville
Hometown: Garland, Texas
Genres: Americana, Singer/Songwriter, Country, Blues, Rock
Website: www.garynicholson.com
A 2006 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Gary Nicholson has had more than 350 of his songs recorded, has won 26 ASCAP songwriting awards and is responsible for more than a dozen major hits. Unlike most tunesmiths, he is not bound by musical genre. His songs routinely top the country hit parade. But rock bands, blues artists, folk stars and bluegrass acts have also embraced him as a songwriter.
“I’ve never found it difficult to ’shift gears’ between different musical styles,” Nicholson says. “I let myself be dictated by the needs of the artist or of the writer I’m collaborating with. A lot of these guys are just looking for good lyrics. Songwriting is songwriting. A song is a song.”
As a guitarist, Gary Nicholson has brightened recording sessions and/or concert stages with the likes of Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, Bobby Bare, Delbert McClinton and Tracy Nelson. During his long career, he has also played lead guitar in at least 10 of his own bands.
His musicianship led him into a career as a record producer. Gary Nicholson has produced two Grammy Award winning albums for Delbert McClinton. He has also guided projects by artists as diverse as “blue-eyed soul” singer Wynonna, Americana singer-songwriter Chris Knight, blues rocker Jimmy Thackery and Grand Ole Opry star Pam Tillis.
And then there’s the entertainer side of Gary Nicholson. Make that sides. He is actually at least three entertainers. A typical solo show will begin with him singing familiar hits he has written for others. After intermission, he reappears in the white suit, sunglasses and cap that are the uniform of “Whitey Johnson,” his bluesman alter ego. On other occasions, you might find him blistering a nightclub stage as a member of the rhythm-happy Fortunate Sons rock band. He has played The Bottom Line in New York, the House of Blues in Boston, Poor David’s Pub in Dallas, The Cactus Café in Austin, The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA and other prestigious venues.
“My kids are grown, so I’m having a great time performing live again. I’m doing stuff all over the country. I have a ‘Whitey Johnson’ band with different players in different cities. I’ve got a band in L.A. and one in Texas and another one in Nashville. I’ve got some guys in New York who can do it, too.”
This brings Gary Nicholson full circle. He 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.” By the time he was in high school, he was in bands playing Beatles tunes.
“The first one was called The Valiants. Then it was The Catalinas. Then The Untouchables. During summer vacation in 1966, we got a job playing at The Cellar in Fort Worth. It was my first gig, and I’ve still never played a place rougher than The Cellar.”
The group played from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m., rotating sets with another band, Texas Storm, which included future stars Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan. At another gig, the band accompanied strippers, but was fired when the women preferred to dance to a jukebox. The underage Untouchables got away with all of this by telling their parents they were working at an all-night bowling alley.
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think coming of age in that Dallas / Fort Worth music scene was really important. There’s a certain guitar sound there. It was a great place to come up because there were so many great players around.”
Nicholson was soon captivated by local blues legend Freddy King, whose “Hide Away” had become a national hit in 1961. In college at North Texas State, the budding musician moved through a jazz phase, played lead guitar for the rock band The Nazz (“Hello It’s Me”) and then fell under the spell of the country-rock movement.
“We met The Flying Burrito Brothers. Gram Parsons came over to our little crash pad and we stayed up all night with him and had this amazing experience. He told us we should move to California. About a month or two later, we got in a car and drove straight through to the West Coast.”
Their first night in town, Parsons met the youngsters 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. Parsons found the kids a place to stay and 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. He then joined Ronstadt’s band, the group that evolved into The Eagles. Now renamed Uncle Jim’s Music, Nicholson’s group enlisted Boylan to produce its 1971 debut LP. Keyboardist Norman joined the band in time for its second album in 1972.
In 1973, Gary Nicholson married his college sweetheart Barbara and moved back to the Lone Star State. He joined Delbert McClinton’s band and also formed his own group, Hot Sauce. During the next several years both bands occupied him as a live musician. But he continued to write songs as well.
Meanwhile, his old buddy Jim Ed Norman was rising through the country-music ranks to become an in-demand record producer in Nashville. Nicholson sent him a tune called “Jukebox Argument,” which Norman recorded with singer Mickey Gilley. The song wound up on the soundtrack album Urban Cowboy 2.
“So in 1980, I finally got my courage up to move to Nashville,” Nicholson relates. “Jim Ed lured me. He gave me and my family a house to live in and a weekly ‘draw’ to write songs for his publishing company. I was just thrilled, because I’d been playing in country honky-tonks six nights a week, and on the seventh, I’d play a blues gig in Dallas. The possibility that I could write songs for a living was just amazing.”
To make money on the side, he continued taking road jobs. Guy Clark hired him as a guitar player on tour, then took him into the studio for the sessions that became the 1983 album Better Days. At his first Nashville recording session, Gary Nicholson played alongside such stellar players as Vince Gill, Hank DeVito, Tony Brown, Emory Gordy, Johnny Gimble and Rodney Crowell.
Out on the road with Billy Joe Shaver, Gary Nicholson became an eager pupil as the hit songwriter went over his lyrics with a red pencil in hand, grading them like a schoolteacher. Gail Davies also hired the guitarist for her road band. But country star Bobby Bare put an end to Nicholson’s touring days.
“In 1983, I had my first hit. That was ‘Your Love Shines Through’ by Mickey Gilley,” Nicholson recalls. “Then, in 1984 I had a No. 1 hit with ‘That’s the Thing About Love’ by Don Williams. Bare came on the bus one day, and he had a newspaper that had the record listed at No. 1. He laid that paper on my lap and said, ‘When we get back to Nashville, you need to help me find a new guitar player, because you need to stay home and write.’”
Gary Nicholson signed with the powerful Sony-ATV Tree publishing firm and adopted a strict work ethic that he maintains to this day. He came to the office daily, prepared to work with a variety of songwriting collaborators. “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) began a string of songwriting hits that has continued to the present.
Songs like “One More Last Chance” (Vince Gill, 1993), “The Trouble with the Truth” (Patty Loveless, 1997) and “She Couldn’t Change Me” (Montgomery Gentry, 2001) brought Gary Nicholson to the front ranks of Nashville’s songwriting army. After 14 years at Sony-Tree, he formed his own company, Gary Nicholson Music, in 1997.
His diversity as a songwriter is both unusual and impressive. Nicholson’s songs have been sung by country superstars such as George Jones, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, Anne Murray and Willie Nelson. But he has also provided much material to the r&b community, with recordings of his tunes by B.B. King, The Neville Brothers, Etta James, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Irma Thomas, Keb’ Mo,’ Junior Wells and more.
Nicholson’s songwriting talents have come to the attention of such pop/rock artists as Bonnie Raitt, Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, String Cheese Incident, Ringo Starr, Los Lonely Boys, NRBQ, Robert Plant, Mountain and Gregg Allman. In the folk field, his songs have been recorded by the likes of John Prine, David Wilcox, Patty Griffin, John Sebastian, Paul Brady and Dave Olney. Even bluegrass artists have come to him for material – Doug Dillard, Vassar Clements, Del McCoury, Tim O’Brien, New Grass Revival and Peter Rowan among them.
He got his feet wet as a record producer by co-producing his own 1995 CD The Sky Is Not the Limit. In 1997, albums for River Road and Delbert McClinton furthered Nicholson’s producing reputation. T. Graham Brown’s acclaimed Wine Into Water (1998) came next. Nicholson produced Wynonna’s powerful New Day Dawning, plus The Judds’ landmark Reunion in 2000. McClinton won Grammy Awards with the Nicholson-produced Nothing Personal (2001) and Cost of Living (2005). Singer-songwriters Jessi Alexander and Chris Knight kept him busy in the studio in 2005-2006. Nicholson has also produced the upcoming Pam Tillis CD Rhinestoned.
“I’ve had an awful lot of fun,” says Gary Nicholson. “Nashville is so cool. I’m booked to co-write with someone almost every day. I have my ‘Whitey Johnson’ gigs. I have the Fortunate Sons. I have the studio work. It’s all good.”
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I am looking for a vendor who will have october beans later this year. I cannot buy them, fresh or canned where I live. Thanks, Norma Thompson
Please let us bring dogs back, if possible. That was always a huge draw for me and my husband, even though we leave our dog at home. The market was never quite the same without the dogs, or the weiner dog races.
Due to dramatically increased insurance costs and public health issues, dogs will not be allowed back into the Market. As a pet owner myself (two large dogs!), it’s not a perfect situation but we had to decide between personal preferences and the continuation of the Market…
[...] the great community response. With nearly 400 people in attendance, we completely ran out of New Vendor Registration [...]
[...] Directions to the Market » [...]
GREAT JOB! The old-new Chattanooga Market is here to stay!
Thanks to everyone involved in keeping the Chattanooga Market OPEN….It was so wonderful to go down this past Sunday to purchase Fresh Strawberries and Blueberry Bushes from a couple of the Vendors. Looking forward to more produce and items as they become available. Great Job & Thanks…..
I work as personal chef and would like to do demo at market if possible. I think it would be great way of people trying my cooking style.
Thank you,
Mathias Kuhn
316-9993
Chris,
Thanks for letting us know what the market is looking for. I know that I am looking to expand what I am selling and these ideas are very welcome.
It’s great to get back to market again as a vendor and shopper. Local really is better!
Joyce
I sent in the paper work required for vendors and haven’t heard anything. It has been about two weeks. I do collage work on canvas and use some frames. My business is called Creative Collage. I assume that my application was received and would be glad to send in pictures. Please update me on where I am in the process so I can make plans accordingly. Thanks so much!
Karen LaGraff
Hi Chris,
I would like to know when you want to start up my cooking demo for the farm market, sorry I lost your email address so here is my www. greatfixins@mac.com
Thank you,
Mathias
Sorry we missed the preseason vendor meeting. We are a family dairy farm in Knox County Tennessee. We milk Jersey cows that are fed a pasture based diet and never given hormones. We bottle whole Jersey milk and churned buttermilk. We are licensed by the Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture to produce these products and homemade icecream. Would you be interested in local Tennessee dairy products?
Sincerely
Cheri Cruze
[...] On Stage 4/27: Gary NicholsonGary Nicholson. Residence: Nashville Hometown: Garland, Texas Genres: Americana, Singer/Songwriter, Country, Blues, Rock Website: http://www.garynicholson.com. A 2006 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Gary Nicholson has had …The Chattanooga Market – http://www.chattanoogamarket.com [...]
[...] Go to the author’s original blog: On Stage June 15th – Abi Tapia [...]
hello,,,,, We sure do enjoy this Farmer Market,,, it is wonderful,,,, we live in Waleska Ga it takes us alittle over than a hour to get there,,,, we came across this market about 3 years ago or so,,, we went to the last nite of the music Fest and was heading outthe next morning and came across this place so we have been coming back,,,, so far this year I made 36 jars of Strawberry Jam,,, yes Home made,,, you would love it,,,, we enjoy the whole market we have brought Strawsberries,,, Bread, Fudge, Tacos!!!! BBQ,,,, Kettle corn,,,,, I my self did some of the childrens arts and crafts,,,,, well I will be getting up early tomorrow June 15,,2008 to visit the Market on Father Day I’ll bring my Husband and our beautiful 4 yr old granddaughter we will eat lunch there shop listen to the live music,,,,, I’ll let our g-daughter do the arts and crafts,,,, we sure enjoy this market,,, wish it could have some more old ways to show peolpe how to Quilt, make soap, make jelly,,,, but we enjoy this market as it is!!!! see you tomorrow!!Tamara
Chelsea Saddler will be in the area the last week of Sept & the 1st week of Oct. A fantastic singer/songwriter & performer. See http://www.soncibids.com/chelseasaddler
Funny, that’s a mandolin in the photo, not a PRS McCarty.
loved it!!! had a great time watching the chefs. they said the recipes would be posted? I can’t find them. thanks for a great time!
a small caveat – they cooked based on skill, not recipes, so we’re having to get them create a recipe…
stay tuned, we hope to get those up at some point soon
chris
I’m interested in becoming a crafts vendor at the Chattanooga Market. I missed the pre-season vendor meeting. Please advise cost, etc.
Thank you,
Carol
I’ve just created a link to your recipe in our newest “Cast Iron Around the Web” post at http://www.cookingincastiron.com
I’ve created a link to your recipe in our newest “Cast Iron Around the Web” post at http://www.cookingincastiron.com
[...] Key Event 8/3 : Iron Chef Competition This week at the Chattanooga Market features an all-star Iron Chef Competition, sponsored by Lodge Cookware and FiveStar Professional Ranges. Area chef’s will create dishes usings local ingredients to be judged by an all-star panel. [...]
[...] On Stage 8/10 – Jen Woodhouse While other little girls dreamt of being princess brides, mermaids, or fairies, Jen Woodhouse performed in her parents’ living room in front of a captivated audience made up of her two younger sisters, various stuffed animals, and Barbie dolls. [...]
She can now be seen in and around LA and Orange County, CA. and up and down the east coast playing solo as well as with a band. She has a new CD “FICKLE GIRL,” which was recorded at True Tones Studio in Nashville, TN. and promises to shoot this artist to the top. Right where she belongs!
I’ve created a link to this post in the “Recipes” section of our newest “Cast Iron Around the Web” entry at http://www.cookingincastiron.com
I caught the amazing Robin Lore at of one of southern states shows. What a voice she has and what a remarkable person she is! This girl is a star and her name will be known nationally. Watch out for the rising reputation of Robin Lore.
hey i waz wandering what it cost to set up a spot at the next event
Our fees are discussed in our vendor application/information found here:
http://www.chattanoogamarket.com/index.php/participate/vendor/
Totally enjoyable time eating the World’s Best Ice Cream…Thanks Mayfield for being there….Looking forward to having Ice Cream next year….
Oh I loved it, I found the most wonderful necklace this year. I just wish they’d had a little more antique jewelry to sell…..
Thank you Chattanooga Market for giving us another avenue to let the community know what we are doing. We will gladly accept any new school supply item and we are also going to be sending letters from some of the local schools that will be distributed to the troops stationed in Afghanistan, so if anyone would like to bring a letter by we will send it for them.
is there a website to purchase a cd? thanks
is there a website to order a cd? thanks
[...] to go further than downtown Chattanooga this weekend for a real German celebration. The 7th annual Oktoberfest at the Chattanoga Market will be held on Saturday and Sunday, expanding to a two-day event for the first time this [...]
Just to let you know that the band playing for this Sunday’s contra dance is the Shake Rag Ramblers. The caller who will teach the dance patterns is the inimitable Rob Harper, from Atlanta.
We’re all looking forward to it. Should be a blast!
Thanks, Andrea Pitkow
Publicity Coordinator,
Chattanooga Traditional Dance Society
It was great talking with you,looking forward in seeing and hearing you play. May the Lord bless your music
I got a pair of earrings made of silver wire from the market. I think it was the holiday market. They are peace signs. I lost one of the peace signs today. Does anyone possibly know the name of the silver vendor that made the peace signs. If you were facing the stage the vendor was on the right of the building(I think). Any info you can provide on the vendor would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
Cherie
I would like info for being a vender for 2009.
We will post our 2009 Vendor Package to this website, and announce our preseason vendor meeting, towards the end of March.
The 2009 Chattanooga Market season will begin on April, 26!
can’t wait for market 2009!!!
Can’t wait until the Market starts back. Great folks and great vendors. Looking forward to participating!
How do I subscribe for your newsletter?
There is a link in the upper-right of the screen for our “email list signup.” You can also click here to signup.
Thanks!
We’ll be there with bells on!
I’ll be there ready for a great season!
Hello! Have shopped at the market for years. I am planning on joining the market this year as a vendor. I plan on attending the preseason vendor meeting April 5th at 2:00. Looking forward to it!
Have never been a vendor before but want to sample/sell homemade salsa. Any guidance on what is needed to do so?
MJC
MCJ
In order to sell food products to the public, you must be compliant with TN State Regulations about the preparation, canning and labeling of the product.
All foods must be prepared in a certified commercial kitchen, and you will probably need either a Hamilton County license or a TN Department of Agriculture certification to verify that you have the knowledge to safely prepare food items for sale to the public.
Food items are the most complicated product to sell to the public, in terms of licensing & safety guidelines, but also one of the most lucrative as everyone enjoys fresh, homemade products even during economically tough times.
Please attend our preseason vendor meeting, and we can discuss these (and related) items in greater detail.
Thanks!