Who the heck is Joe Nichols?

Though some of you know this about me, others may find it a bit surprising -- back in my high school days I was the world's biggest hick. I hung out with a group of guys who measured your cool factor by just how many different colors your Fruit of the Loom pocket t-shirt collection included. I don't remember the exact answer, but it was more than enough for a different color each day of the week. Oooh, the requisite ensemble also included cowboy boots (of course) and a red Co-Op hat. If you have to ask, "What's a Co-Op hat?", then don't bother -- you wouldn't get it anyway.

Eventually I began to leave that lifestyle behind. Though I've still got a lot of hick in me (for instance, folks still make fun of the way I say "insurance" -- that pronunciation actually came up in the movie Marnie), you should have seen me back when. Heck, I even wear khaki pants most days of the week now and I'll admit that they're often more comfortable than jeans. Still, it's been a long journey.

One of the things that has changed over the years has been my feeling toward country music. Needless to say, in my colored t-shirt and cowboy boots days I was all over it. As the years passed, though, I became less fond of the twang. To this day, I'm torn over country music. Part of this is due to the fact I changed, but a lot of it is due to changes within the musical form. I absolutely detest most all the current "hat acts" -- pretty boys with biceps, sleeveless shirts, and perfect white cowboy hats. I also abhor the country songbirds (e.g., Faith Hill) who have great voices, but wouldn't know a good lyrical storyline if it hit them on the noggin. Of course there are exceptions. For instance, I really like the Dixie Chicks despite their "pop-country" style. The kind of country music I do like, though, is old country -- Merle, Johnny, Patsy, Loretta, etc. -- and one local radio station still plays that stuff. The other day, though, I heard a bit of an interview with this guy named Joe Nichols on the radio and I'm thinking I might have to give him a chance.

Though I don't know anything about Joe Nichols, he has a new album out. What caught my attention was that they mentioned one particular song on this album: Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off. Mr. Nichols said EVERYONE has a tequila story and that was his. I haven't heard the song, but I'm thinking of buying the album because he's sooooo right.

I can tell my own tequila story because I wasn't the one "acting the fool". Nope, I was the responsible one that night. Since the main character in the story later became a youth counselor of some sort I won't go into details (you never know how this stuff will come back to haunt you), but let me just say the night included a past Florida lottery winner on the run from her creditors, Lance Armstrong's childhood sweetheart, lots of cheap tequila, and a visit to an Alberta City tattoo and piercing parlor with a large sign proclaiming they WOULD NOT service you if you'd been drinking. The sign was just for show.

So yep, everyone has a tequila story. I'm thinking I'd like to hear Joe Nichols'. Oh, the critics liken his performance on this album to Merle Haggard and George Jones AND I see that he covers Gene Watson's "Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy) as well as Steve Earle's "My Old Friend The Blues". Yeah, I'm thinking Mr. Nichols might get my $10.99 for this effort.