Roy Nichols
Encyclopedia
Roy Nichols was an American
country music
guitarist
best known as the lead guitarist for Merle Haggard
for more than two decades. He was known for his guitar technique, a mix of fingerpicking and pedal steel-like bends, usually played on a Telecaster.
, Arizona
. His parents were Bruce and Lucille Nichols. Roy was the first born of seven children. The Nichols family moved to Fresno, California
when he was 2. They owned a camp for migrant farm workers. Sometimes a traveling Gypsy band would stay at the camp. Nichols would hide and watch them play. His father Bruce played upright bass at the local dances on the weekends in the San Joaquin Valley. Nichols was interested in his father’s music. He learned three chords from his father and began playing in his father's band on the weekends when he was 11. By age 14, Nichols began playing weekends with Curly Roberts and the Rangers. This earned him $25 a week.
was a colorful hillbilly band. They heard Nichols playing guitar on the Saturday-morning radio program by Barney Lee, a DJ in Fresno. Nichols was now earning $90 a week. This was big money for a 16 year old. “He could play anything,” said Rose Maddox. “He was good at all of it. Every guitar picker in the country wanted to play like him, but none of them ever compared. He was one of a kind. But the music aside, he was like any 16-year-old kid - feisty, causing us trouble. But my mother brought him under.”
At a Maddox show in Mesa, Arizona, a teen-age couple sat in front row. It was Buck Owens and Bonnie Campbell Owens. They were fascinated with Nichols' playing. The Maddox Brothers toured out of state for extended periods. Fred became Nichols' legal guardian and tutor. Fred’s brother, Henry Maddox, was actually the one who tutored Nichols. While in Las Vegas, Nichols began sneaking away to gamble. Lula Maddox watched out for Nichols, and caught him gambling one night. He was warned not to gamble. He was caught the next night and was fired by Lula. Nichols was with the Maddox group for 18 months. He recorded over 100 songs and toured almost 7 nights a week.
Returning to the valley, Nichols joined Smiley Maxidon on radio station KNGS in Hanford, CA. He played a 1-hour live broadcast. Nichols also played dances several nights a week. He would stay up all-night and then play the 7 a.m. radio show.
About a year later, Lefty Frizzell
employed Nichols. Lefty was from Texas, but he was a country music icon in Bakersfield. Merle Haggard watched Nichols play with Frizzell in 1953 at the Rainbow Gardens. In 1954, Nichols returned to work for another year at the radio station with Maxidon.
In 1955, Nichols joined Cousin Herb Henson's Trading Post Gang's TV show. For 5 days a week, this 45-minute live country music show was aired on station KERO in Bakersfield, California. Nichols remained there for 5 of the 11 years the show ran. He also played at the Foothill Club in Long Beach with Billy Mize
and Cliff Crofford. He toured with Johnny Cash during that period.
In 1960, Nichols joined Wynn Stewart
in Las Vegas. Merle Haggard was the bass player. This would be the beginning of a long relationship. Ralph Mooney played steel guitar in Wynn’s band at the time. Ralph would later go on to play steel guitar on several of Hag’s recordings along with Norm Hamlet. I asked Ralph about his experience with Nichols. Ralph explained “Roy had a resophonic guitar…you know a dobro that he fretted. Nobody could tune it. Roy was so good with his left hand that he bent the strings in tune as he played depending on where he was on the neck.” When asked what it was like recording those sessions, he replied, “…it was really a lot of fun.”
On June 15, 1965 Nichols was hired straight out of Wynn’s band by Merle Haggard
. Nichols flew to Phoenix to join Merle on his 1st tour. Merle Haggard formed his band “The Strangers”. Nichols was his first hire. Wynn Stewart had been paying him $250 and week. Merle hired him for $125 a week. Nichols had three conditions for being hired by Haggard. "I don't drive, I carry my own amplifier, and I know where my bed is every night".
Over the next two decades, Merle Haggard and the Strangers had 38 #1 songs, and 33 in the top 10. Nichols published 19 songs that he wrote. “Street Singer,” was recorded by Merle and was nominated for a Grammy in 1970. Nichols toured with Merle in the US and overseas. Highlights include Carnegie Hall
, Madison Square Gardens, the White House
for one President, and the Summer White House for another President. The Academy of Country and Western Music honored Nichols with nominations for 'Guitarist of the Year' several times. The Strangers were voted “Touring Band of the Year” seven times.
, California
. Nichols suffered a stroke
in February 1996. It left him partially paralyzed, in a way in which he could no longer play guitar. So he spent his last years only playing guitar in his head.
Nichols was being treated for a non-life-threatening infection at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California
, when he had a heart attack
and died on July 3, 2001.
----
This text was copied from the history section of the tablature book from "The Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols" instructional video, courtesy of Terry Downs at http://terrydownsmusic.com
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
best known as the lead guitarist for Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
for more than two decades. He was known for his guitar technique, a mix of fingerpicking and pedal steel-like bends, usually played on a Telecaster.
Biography
Roy Ernest Nichols was born in ChandlerChandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. His parents were Bruce and Lucille Nichols. Roy was the first born of seven children. The Nichols family moved to Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
when he was 2. They owned a camp for migrant farm workers. Sometimes a traveling Gypsy band would stay at the camp. Nichols would hide and watch them play. His father Bruce played upright bass at the local dances on the weekends in the San Joaquin Valley. Nichols was interested in his father’s music. He learned three chords from his father and began playing in his father's band on the weekends when he was 11. By age 14, Nichols began playing weekends with Curly Roberts and the Rangers. This earned him $25 a week.
Career
Shortly before his 16th birthday, Nichols met Fred Maddox, of the Maddox Brothers. The Maddox Brothers and RoseMaddox Brothers and Rose
The Maddox Brothers and Rose, known as America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band from the 1930s to the 1950s, consisted of four brothers, Fred, Cal, Cliff and Don Maddox, along with their sister Rose. Cliff died in 1949 and was replaced by brother Henry...
was a colorful hillbilly band. They heard Nichols playing guitar on the Saturday-morning radio program by Barney Lee, a DJ in Fresno. Nichols was now earning $90 a week. This was big money for a 16 year old. “He could play anything,” said Rose Maddox. “He was good at all of it. Every guitar picker in the country wanted to play like him, but none of them ever compared. He was one of a kind. But the music aside, he was like any 16-year-old kid - feisty, causing us trouble. But my mother brought him under.”
At a Maddox show in Mesa, Arizona, a teen-age couple sat in front row. It was Buck Owens and Bonnie Campbell Owens. They were fascinated with Nichols' playing. The Maddox Brothers toured out of state for extended periods. Fred became Nichols' legal guardian and tutor. Fred’s brother, Henry Maddox, was actually the one who tutored Nichols. While in Las Vegas, Nichols began sneaking away to gamble. Lula Maddox watched out for Nichols, and caught him gambling one night. He was warned not to gamble. He was caught the next night and was fired by Lula. Nichols was with the Maddox group for 18 months. He recorded over 100 songs and toured almost 7 nights a week.
Returning to the valley, Nichols joined Smiley Maxidon on radio station KNGS in Hanford, CA. He played a 1-hour live broadcast. Nichols also played dances several nights a week. He would stay up all-night and then play the 7 a.m. radio show.
About a year later, Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell
Lefty Frizzell , born William Orville Frizzell, was an American country music singer and songwriter of the 1950s, and a proponent of honky tonk music. His relaxed style of singing was an influence on later stars Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones and John Fogerty...
employed Nichols. Lefty was from Texas, but he was a country music icon in Bakersfield. Merle Haggard watched Nichols play with Frizzell in 1953 at the Rainbow Gardens. In 1954, Nichols returned to work for another year at the radio station with Maxidon.
In 1955, Nichols joined Cousin Herb Henson's Trading Post Gang's TV show. For 5 days a week, this 45-minute live country music show was aired on station KERO in Bakersfield, California. Nichols remained there for 5 of the 11 years the show ran. He also played at the Foothill Club in Long Beach with Billy Mize
Billy Mize
Billy Mize is a steel guitarist, band leader, vocalist, songwriter, and TV show host.-Biography:...
and Cliff Crofford. He toured with Johnny Cash during that period.
In 1960, Nichols joined Wynn Stewart
Wynn Stewart
Winford Lindsey Stewart , better known as Wynn Stewart, was an American country music performer. He was one of the progenitors of the Bakersfield sound...
in Las Vegas. Merle Haggard was the bass player. This would be the beginning of a long relationship. Ralph Mooney played steel guitar in Wynn’s band at the time. Ralph would later go on to play steel guitar on several of Hag’s recordings along with Norm Hamlet. I asked Ralph about his experience with Nichols. Ralph explained “Roy had a resophonic guitar…you know a dobro that he fretted. Nobody could tune it. Roy was so good with his left hand that he bent the strings in tune as he played depending on where he was on the neck.” When asked what it was like recording those sessions, he replied, “…it was really a lot of fun.”
On June 15, 1965 Nichols was hired straight out of Wynn’s band by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
. Nichols flew to Phoenix to join Merle on his 1st tour. Merle Haggard formed his band “The Strangers”. Nichols was his first hire. Wynn Stewart had been paying him $250 and week. Merle hired him for $125 a week. Nichols had three conditions for being hired by Haggard. "I don't drive, I carry my own amplifier, and I know where my bed is every night".
Over the next two decades, Merle Haggard and the Strangers had 38 #1 songs, and 33 in the top 10. Nichols published 19 songs that he wrote. “Street Singer,” was recorded by Merle and was nominated for a Grammy in 1970. Nichols toured with Merle in the US and overseas. Highlights include Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Madison Square Gardens, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
for one President, and the Summer White House for another President. The Academy of Country and Western Music honored Nichols with nominations for 'Guitarist of the Year' several times. The Strangers were voted “Touring Band of the Year” seven times.
Retirement
He retired from the road in March 1987. He was later inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in SacramentoSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Nichols suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in February 1996. It left him partially paralyzed, in a way in which he could no longer play guitar. So he spent his last years only playing guitar in his head.
Nichols was being treated for a non-life-threatening infection at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, when he had a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and died on July 3, 2001.
----
This text was copied from the history section of the tablature book from "The Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols" instructional video, courtesy of Terry Downs at http://terrydownsmusic.com
External links
- http://www.bakersfield.com/static/FP/baksound/roy.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li_Kpk_DDoE
- http://terrydownsmusic.com/Roy_Video/RoyVideo.html