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

From the start, with 2002’s breakthrough Universal South debut, Man with a Memory, Joe established himself as a solid neo-traditionalist who could balance message songs with aching ballads and breezy, playful tunes that evoke a sly smile. No. 1 hits like "The Impossible" and "Brokenheartsville" introduced the singer’s expressive baritone and the subtle way he could express wisdom and humor as well as pain and pleasure.

Joe’s powerful introduction certainly drew the attention of his peers and of country fans: His first year out, he won the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist.

Over the next three critically acclaimed albums—Revelation, III and Real Things—Joe secured his spot as a rock-solid traditionalist who could master lighthearted swing, blue ballads and message songs with effortless aplomb and gather No. 1 hits along the way (to date, Joe has accumulated three No. 1 and seven Top 10 hits). Whether grinning his way through "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" or "What’s a Guy Gotta Do," or instilling weight and emotion into "I’ll Wait for You" or "If Nobody Believed in You," Joe always sounded convincingly real and believable. Like forebears George Strait and Alan Jackson, Joe manages to forge a variety of earthy, bedrock country styles into a distinctive sound all his own, all the while sounding as laid-back and natural as the friendly guy next door—OK, make that the extraordinarily charismatic, good-looking guy next door.

He not only drew the praise of critics and fans of old-school country music, but he gathered a wide array of fans across the board who love his authenticity and genuine talent. Only four albums in, he’s already received four Grammy Award nominations. One fan, Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, started covering a Joe Nichols hit during the superstar band’s concerts. "I haven’t been able to get this song out of my mind," Kroeger said of "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off," in front of one sold-out arena. "I love this song."

On Old Things New, Joe’s new sense of self-confidence helped him assert his opinions more openly in the studio. In the past, he says, he was content to let others make decisions and focus on singing. But he was involved in all facets of Old Things New, a commitment welcomed by co-producers Brent Rowan and Mark Wright.

"Not only do I feel I know what I’m good at now, but I also know what I’m not as good at," the humble singer says. "I’ve always tried to stay open to new ideas and to taking on challenges and stretching. That’s how you learn. With this album, more than ever, I feel like I play to my strengths."

Indeed, Joe points out, the tendency in country is to follow trends and pay close attention to what works for other artists. "If one artist sells five million albums, the tendency is for other artists to say, ‘Maybe I should do a little of that, too,’" Joe says. "That can be tough to resist. But something inside me tells me to stay true to who I am and to stay on my own path. I truly believe that, if I do that, there’s something different, something better, for me down the road."