Joe Nichols Keeps Old Things New … and Country

When Joe Nichols reflects back on his music over the years, one thing has always remained consistent: when he opens his mouth to sing, it's country.

"I can't sing anything other than country!" Joe tells The Boot. "Somebody told me that the other day. They said, 'You could sing 'Kickstart My Heart' [by Mötley Crüe], and it would sound like a country song.' That's a good compliment! I appreciate them saying that."

Joe admits, however, that his self-titled debut album, released in 1996, has a different country feel when compared to his latest album, 'Old Things New.'

"The first album was probably as close to traditional country as it gets -- even bluegrass at times," says the singer. "It was a very classic-country-sounding album. My latest album has a lot of traditional country, but it's got some of the new country feel to it like 'Gimmie That Girl.' That's an aggressive type of sound, but it's still a country song. That's a new kind of fresh sound which I enjoy singing."

Joe recently enjoyed a two-week stay at No. 1 with 'Gimmie That Girl,' bringing his career total to four No. 1 hits to date. For the record, Joe has no plans to cover Mötley Crüe any time soon.

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