Joe Nichols photo by Jon Smith, courtesy of Universal Records South.

Joe Nichols continues to prove how hip and relevant country music can be. With the aptly titled Old Things New, the award-winning, Grammy-nominated singer once again balances artistry with accessibility, applying his distinctive baritone to new songs that define country music for modern times. It’s the perfect follow-up to his acclaimed 2007 album, Real Things, which landed Joe on a multitude of best-of-the-year lists, including those published by the New York Times, Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, Associated Press and many others.

Old Things New is the sound of a singer who has come to know exactly who he is—and what he does best. "I feel like I’m in a really cool position," Joe says. "I’ve found my place by moving deeper into the kind of music I love, which are songs that draw on the traditional side. A lot of country music at the moment is real aggressive and hard. I love that music, but it’s not what I do. I’ve found my niche by doing something outside of what everyone else is doing."

What Joe does is zero in on his strengths: He gives weight to the heart-stirring message of "Believers" and fills the title song, about timeless and enduring qualities, and the unforgettable "An Old Friend of Mine," about a man giving up the bottle, with the genuine emotion of a man singing about what he knows. Elsewhere, Joe shows his wide range, from the swing-with-a-smile "Cheaper Than a Shrink" to the jazzy, romantic "This Bed’s Too Big," and from the modern upbeat rhythm of "Give Me That Girl" to the lonesome blues of "It’s Me I’m Worried About."

All together, the album reveals the talents of a wholly distinctive singer who has accumulated the experience to convey the emotion, or the fun, of each story he has to tell. "I think this album is full of great songs that would sound great on the radio," Joe says. "But I’m at a place in my career where it’s not just about hits, but about who I am as an artist. It’s about the work as a whole and what it says about me. I wanted this record to represent the best of who Joe Nichols is, and I’m really proud of what we’ve done."

This new clarity, Joe admits, comes from the Arkansas native achieving an inner peace that, in the past, he’s struggled to find. "I’m happier and more settled than I’ve ever been, and that sets me up to be clearer about the man I want to be and the artist I want to be," Joe explains. "When I’ve made mistakes, it’s because I felt insecure and second-guessed myself. When I’ve been true to who I am, and when I’ve given it everything I’ve got, that’s when I’ve done my best—and found the most acceptance."

Indeed, as with many new stars, Joe encountered some personal difficulties as his schedule grew busier and the stakes higher. Musically, he repeatedly found success by carving out an individual style that clung to a personal aesthetic rather than fitting into the ever-evolving and expanding sounds of modern country music. With time, just as he found his way as a singer, he began to realize he needed to center himself as a person, too. He married Heather Singleton, who he had known since both were 18 years old, and he took steps toward a healthier outlook on life. Today, Joe proudly says he has found a sense of peace that has him feeling happier and more focused than ever.