Thank you for chatting with us Nicky James! Did you always want to be a musician or was there a specific moment that something happened that made you think "this is what I want to do with my life." If so, what was it? You know yes there was. I was probably barely twenty one and had been gigging around through Oklahoma for a couple weeks when my brother asked if I wanted to go see this guy name Jason Isbell at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. I not having anything better to do, quickly jumped on the opportunity and forever would be grateful that I decided to go. First of all, Cain's is so nostalgic on its own. Right when you walk in you feel the energy of all the greats that have played that stage and the history written in each wall still standing. During the show something happened to me, almost like an energy surrounding my body and making me fully focus on the craftsmanship at hand and the stories being told. In that moment I realized that the silence in the roof was oddly the loudest thing that stuck in my mind, if one man and a guitar could bring together a thousand people of all different backgrounds that was what I wanted to do as well.
Tell us about the release of your upcoming project with Grammy-award nominated producer Eric Torres. I am very excited for the opportunity to keep putting music out and with this new EP you're going to start seeing a deeper side of me that I plan on continuing throughout my career. Eric and I really have meshed well together from day one and I think moving forward we are going to continue to put out great sounding and most of all real music that the listener can relate to.
Is there one song in particular you’re most excited about people hearing? Yes there is, "Addict’s Knot" is my favorite song on the EP. It touches on things that some may consider taboo to talk about but in all seriousness need to be talked about a lot more. For some reason we live in a society that turns a blind eye to the plague of addiction going throughout our world and throughout our younger generations, the only way we can fix the problem is by talking about it, creating some demand, and finding the root of it all.
Who have been some of your biggest musical influences growing up and do the same artists currently continue to influence you now? My earliest influences were John Denver, James Taylor, and the Eagles. I remember my mom always telling me to listen to the stories over the melodies and to picture the words in my head as the song went on. I can still see her grabbing a CD from this black case that held at least a hundred of those discs and being so excited to hear what new sound was going to be played next. The key takeaways I still live by from these artist’s is that life is not always fun and happy and uplifting, sometimes you have to write about the struggle because without the struggle there's no chance of finding success.
We are all about music and food, so home cooking or going out for dinner? I would say home cooking with friends and family for sure.
What kitchen appliance do you use every day? We use the stove pretty much daily. We are always cooking, so I’d say that definitely is our number one right now.
What is an example of a menu you would prepare if I came over? For you I would start with some fresh scallops topped with jalapeno, maple bacon, and citrus ponzu laid on top of a charred corn and chorizo salsa. We’d then relax with a glass of blantons garnished with an orange peel before moving onto the main event. Ribeye's finish off the night drizzled with a homemade chimichurri and paired with yukon gold potatoes lightly finished with a horseradish cream sauce.
Where is your favorite place to eat in your hometown? I have two, La Casa and Runza if you know, you know. They are both staples of Omaha and just hard to explain until you try.
Finally, if you could be sponsored by one food/drink brand who would it be and why? Four years ago I would've probably said Coors Light, but now that I'm getting older I’d have to say Coors Banquets. It’s got a touch a class, but still hangs onto the roots which I think fits me just fine.
Website: https://www.nickyjamesofficial.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickyjamesmusic/
ABOUT NICKYJAMES:
Don’t let his humble roots fool you, NickyJames is ready to take the Country music world by storm with his prolific storytelling and undeniable star potential. Equal parts ear-catching melodies with powerhouse vocals to back it up, Jamesis preparing for the release of his upcoming project. With Grammy-award nominated producer Eric Torres (Jamey Johnson) at the helm, Your Name On It features his signature vocals and is strong enough to seamlessly transition to radio. Unapologetically authentic, the future proves promising for the breakout talent.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska to a musical family, breaking out the guitar was just a normal part of the daily family life. His parents raised him on the American classics, like James Taylor, John Denver, and The Eagles, and those legends have had a major impact on his songwriting style. The passion for Country music was instilled in him at a young age and he made the full-time pursuit while only in his teens. Playing anywhere and everywhere that would allow him, he learned and fine-tuned his chops at that young age. As if it was inevitable, He eventually made his way to Nashville where the rising talent has big plans.