As a youngster in Little Rock, Arkansas, Ben Nichols wasn’t really sure what to do with himself. His brother Jeff had begun acting in the local children’s theatre at the age of ten, and by high school seemed destined for a life in and around the movies. With an innate curiosity and an eye for literature, Ben considered an English degree after high school, but he failed to find his calling in the prickly tedium of dissecting fiction. He turned instead to the world of reality, obtaining a history degree from a small college in his home state.
Throughout his academic exploits, Ben worked at the craft of writing songs. He’d first been moved to start a band in high school, inspired by local kids who put on makeshift shows at the riverside pavilion in Little Rock. Ben loved playing in bands, but he found his true calling in the dirty work of songwriting. He became obsessive about each word, each punctuation mark, and every minute detail.
By his early 20s, Ben had formed Lucero, and began touring with the band almost constantly. During their more than 25 year run, Lucero have played stages around the world, and amassed a vast, and varied catalog of music that is centered around the songs of Ben Nichols. Lucero’s tunes are often, in the words of Nichols, “about whiskey and heartbreak”, but they are also steeped in personal experience, and even family history.
Ben and I spend much of the early portion of our interview talking about the terrific Lucero tune, ‘The War’ which tells the story of a young man’s experience in World War Two. The song is littered with many of the real life experiences that Ben’s own grandfather endured from D-Day through to the end of the War. While the tune is filled with personal touches and moments of history, it is also deeply resonant with themes of sacrifice, faith, and fear.
At the relatively late age of 42, Ben became a father. We discuss how that massive life change has affected his songwriting, his touring, and his outlook on life. Ben also shares the ways that the economic landscape has changed significantly for Lucero since the pandemic fell upon us. Costs have risen, ticket sales have shrunk, and Ben isn’t sure what this all means for the band he has fronted for almost thirty years.
Ben will also be out on a solo tour in the western part of the US starting on Nov. 5 with a fiddle player and pedal steel player in support of his recent solo album, In The Heart Of The Mountain. It was terrific to catch up with one of my favorite songwriters right before we both hit the road at opposite ends of the country.
Let’s get into it.
Cheers,
Matty C
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Be sure to catch me on the road during most of November with my dear friend, Jeffery Gower. You can find a full list of dates and even get the chance to have us play a concert at your place at https://www.phonophorerecords.com/sheddiointhesouth
The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.
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