Nichols merges country roots with classic hymn
Country hitmaker Joe Nichols is celebrating the holiday season with a new cover of a Christmas classic, putting his own spin on “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Available everywhere, Nichols’ version maintains his classic country roots while leaning into the song’s status as a holiday standard.
Production by Mickey Jack Cones and Derek George lends a country touch to the hymn with guitar and fiddle adding ornamental flourishes, Nichols’ voice anchoring the invitational classic and centering the song around the reason for the season. As the song progresses, Nichols’ vocals are layered, infusing the hymn with grandeur echoed by swelling production and a backing choir.
“‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs,” shares Nichols, “mainly because of its spiritual, powerful, and reverential meaning.”
Nichols’ latest original single, “Brokenhearted,” arrived at country radio in June and was among the most-added. Written by Rhett Akins, Marv Green, and John Thomas Harding, the track acts as a playful callback to Nichols’ first No. 1 hit, 2003’s “Brokenheartsville.”
“Brokenhearted” appears on the singer’s latest album, Good Day for Living, which dropped in 2022 and contains the title track that became a Top 20 hit on country radio.
Nichols is currently on the road with dates through December and will kick off 2024 with shows on the books for January and February.
