Joe Nichols, “Sunny and 75” and “Brokenheartsville” singer, is bringing traditional music and new hits to MemAud for a fun, loose show.
It may not be “Sunny and 75” in Athens, but country singer Joe Nichols is bracing the cold to perform.
Nichols will be the first country act in the Performing Arts and Concert Series act to appear at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium’s stage this semester. He will perform Saturday evening with opening act Joey Hyde.
Nichols had a recent return to the Country Airplay (Billboard) chart as his hits “Sunny and 75” and “Yeah” reached No. 1 in 2013 and 2014. His last hit had been in 2010, with “Gimmie That Girl.”
“Both of those songs being number one and successful is a huge redemption for me,” Nichols said.
With recognition on his side, Nichols said he is hitting the stage as a headliner with new hits from his album “Crickets” along with old favorites.
“‘Brokenheartsville’ sort of sets the tone for the night,” Nichols said. “It’s one of my oldest hits and it feels like (it’s) where everything blew up for me and that’s what we kick off the show with.”
Nichols said he strives to make it a “loose but fun, high-energy show,” but at the same time to aims to create a comfortable atmosphere so people feel they are a part of the night.
Although Nichols said headlining contributes to a performer’s ego, his
“attitude is gratitude.” After spending last summer alongside Lady Antebellum and Billy Currington on tour, Nichols is transitioning into longer sets with more music, but is still focusing on the traditional side of country.
“It’s tough, but also for me, it’s comforting to know I have a traditional voice,” Nichols said. “More than any of the production or anything like that, it’s something I’m very proud of that I have a traditional feeling voice.”
As Nichols developed his latest album, he did not focus on having every song on the album being a No. 1 hit, but to instead fill it with great album cuts for the listener looking for less radio-oriented music, like the music Nichols grew up with.
“I loved to sing when I was 4 or 5 years old — stuff that my dad would play and sing,” Nichols said. “I listened to the stuff that he would listen to. I kind of grew up with a passion for it.”
Nichols has been around long enough to build a fan base within Athens but also has an appeal to college students, said Andrew Holzaepfel, senior associate director of student activities for the Campus Involvement Center.
“There are a lot of people that just got into him because the ‘Yeah’ song, but I don’t think they realize how long he has been around,” Holzaepfel said. “I think a lot of people think he’s a newer artist, but that’s not the case.”
Jessica Ridgeway, a junior studying nutrition, said she’s been to multiple concerts at MemAud this year.
“I like a lot of his songs,” she said. “When I got the email about him coming, I was so excited.”
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