Jeb Loy Nichols

All Music Guide:

As a teenager, Jeb Loy Nichols made his way from Austin, TX, to New York, NY. In the Big Apple, punk rock took root, and continued to be an influence even after Nichols had moved to London. In the U.K., the sounds of dub and lovers rock mixed with his already colorful palette, and Nichols collaborated with fellow genre chameleons like Neneh Cherry and the Slits' Ari Up. In 1990, Nichols formed the Fellow Travellers with vocalist Loraine Morley, issuing No Easy Way on the Ohio indie Okra. A spicy blend of country, folk, and reggae, the album was the first real evidence of Nichols' burgeoning talent as an artist who was as at home on the range as he was on the streets of the city. In 1992, the Fellow Travellers released their sophomore effort, Just a Visitor, and Things and Time a year later. Both appeared on Okra, and channeled Cash as frequently as they did Gershwin or Horace Andy.

In 1997, Nichols' solo debut appeared on Capitol. An ambitious, richly textured album, Lover's Knot featured Nichols' nasally drawl and plucking banjo over soul, blues, and reggae influences. Needless to say, it was a little ahead of its time. Evidently, Capitol though so, too: Nichols was promptly dropped, and the record was shelved after only a brief release in North America.

Nichols resurfaced in 2001 with Just What Time It Is, issued in America through Ryko and Rough Trade in the United Kingdom. Recorded in Jamaica with engineer Stephen Stanley (Buju Banton, Burning Spear), the record again mixed country & western with soul and reggae. But Nichols' sound now also featured a hint of programming, giving it a hyper-real vibe, like a green-lit night-vision image of a front porch. The album was a critical success, and Nichols followed it with Easy Now in 2002. Nichols' fourth offering, Now Then, boasted some of the most carefully crafted, honest, and emotional material of his career, a feat he dutifully replicated with 2007's Days Are Mighty and 2008's Parish Bar and 2009's Strange Faith and Practice. Readied for a 2010 release was Only Time Will Tell, which involved a collaboration and co-billing with Brinsley Schwarz guitarist Ian Gomm.

Wikipedia:

Jeb Loy Nichols is an American-born singer, songwriter, musician, and artist currently living in Wales. His music combines elements of soul, country, folk, reggae and blues.

Biography

Jeb Loy Nichols was born in Wyoming. He lived in Missouri, Austin, Texas and New York before moving to England in the 1980s.

In 1990 he formed Fellow Travellers with his wife, vocalist Lorraine Morley. That year, they issued the album No Easy Way on the independent Okra label based in Ohio, followed by Just a Visitor in 1992, Things and Time in 1993, Love Shines Brighter in 1993 and A Few Good Dubs in 1995. In 1994/1995 Lorraine Morley released the album A Face Drawn In Sand (OKra/NORMAL Rec) with mandolin, harmonica and occasional backing-vocals courtesy of Jeb Loy Nichols.

In 1997, Nichols released his first album under his own name, Lovers Knot on Capitol Records. Positive critical reviews could not overcome poor sales and he was dropped from the label. He then released Just What Time It Is on the Rough Trade label in 2000. Rykodisc released Easy Now in 2002. 2005's Now Then on the Tuition label marked the fourth record label in a row. Tuition then released his 2007 release Days Are Mighty. Parish Bar was released in 2009 on Tuition in the UK, and Compass in the US. Strange Faith and Practice was released in 2009 on the Impossible Ark record label.

Collaborations

Nichol's voice is heard on the Groove Armada song "What's Your Version" on the Soundboy Rock album.

Nichols released the 2010 album Only Time Will Tell with British singer/songwriter Ian Gomm on the Relaxa Records label. They recorded 14 new tracks together at Gwyn Jones’s Bos Studio in Llanferfyl, Mid Wales. Nashville musicians Clive Gregson and Pat McInerney also dropped by to help out in between UK touring commitments. It was mixed at The Butcher Shoppe, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by David Ferguson and mastered at Foxwood Mastering, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by Dave Shipley.