From small town Midwest beginnings to the big-time as an internationally known saxophonist, Grady Nichols enjoys an audience as broad as his musical taste. “My influences are so varied and I try to reflect that in my music. As I’ve matured as a songwriter, that growth has allowed me to infuse more of myself into each record. Using this mixture of flavors has helped me to create a sound with widespread audience appeal. As a result, you’ll see people of all ages at my shows. With the project I’m working on now, I’m trying to capture something new and fun that is another layer of my musical personality.”
Saxophonist Grady Nichols has enjoyed great success in the smooth jazz genre. Heralded by well-known jazz critic and writer Jonathan Widran as “most likely to spearhead the next generation of great smooth artists,” Grady also got the attention of Grammy-nominated recording artist Jeff Lorber, who discovered Kenny G. A legendary keyboardist and known as the father of fusion, Lorber calls Grady “the awesome new sax player for the millennium.”
Consider Grady’s rural upbringing in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. How does a young guy from a Mayberry-like, dirt-road-dominated town discover the hip sounds of the saxophone? Ironically, it was that rural and tornado-prone area that introduced Grady to his passion for music. While frequently watching The Weather Channel to follow thunderstorms and tornados headed his way, Grady fell in love with the instrumental music played during the updates. So much so that he wrote The Weather Channel offices to request their playlist. From there, he was hooked.
After convincing his band director that he was better suited to the sax than the French horn, Grady picked up his first saxophone in the sixth grade. By high school, he was performing professionally and studying under legendary saxophonist Joe Davis, who had performed with such greats as Sarah Vaughn and Mel Torme. Following college at John Brown University, he moved to Tulsa and continued to refine his sound, quickly establishing himself as the premier jazz artist in a region rich with jazz heritage.
A brief look at Nichols’ resume is like looking at a who’s who is modern music history.
Opened for:
• Ray Charles
• Luciano Pavarotti
• Jay Leno
• The Temptations
• The Righteous Brothers
• Al Green
• Huey Lewis & the News
• The O’Jays
• Jeffrey Osborne
• Ellis Marsalis
• Keiko Matsui
• Stanley Turrentine
• David Benoit
• Paul Taylor
Performed with:
• Jeff Lorber
• Bill Champlin
• The Beach Boys
• Roy Clark
• Bob James
• Paul Brown
• Kim Waters
• Wayman Tisdale
• Marion Meadows
Grady’s first foray into recording came in 1996 when Grady released his first CD, "Between You and Me", the majority of which was recorded live. If you listen closely, you can just hear the crowd applause between tracks. He received regional radio airplay right away, a rarity for a new independent artist.
Grady followed this success with the release of "Mysterious Intentions", allowing him to better showcase his songwriting talents. The title track, an exhilarating tune with a rare voice sample from the Bogart classic "The Maltese Falcon", became an instant fan favorite. With "Mysterious Intentions" Grady's radio exposure grew coast-to-coast.
In 2000, Grady was a featured performer and an award presenter at the first Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards. Other performers included Jeff Lorber, Kirk Whalum, Dave Koz, Boney James, The Rippingtons, Peter White, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Herb Alpert and many more. Grady also appeared on the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards Collection CD and received rave reviews. "Newcomer Grady Nichols may have the best instrumental track on the sampler with 'Alone With You', which was co-written and produced by Jeff Lorber." - Mark Ruffin, Jazz Editor, Chicago Magazine and Amazon.com
That same year, Norwegian Cruise Lines chose Grady to perform on their Smooth Jazz Cruise on board the SS Norway. At sea, Grady performed alongside Patti Austin, Jonathan Butler, Craig Chaquico, Warren Hill and Marion Meadows.
Renowned for his signature interpretation of "Amazing Grace" which lead to his first appearance on the “Hour of Power”, Grady had the humble honor of performing at the Crystal Cathedral a second time with a stirring patriotic rendition of “America, The Beautiful” in September 2001 following the devastating terrorist attacks. Grady has also performed "Amazing Grace" at the National Clergy Appreciation Day in Washington, D.C.
To look solely at Grady’s music, however, is to miss so much. As reporter Pat Kroblin stated, "Grady Nichols is as approachable as his music. It was his saxophone that first caught my attention, but it’s the person behind the reed that truly deserves the applause". This attitude is exemplified in his hosting several "Grady Nichols Presents..." concerts, each a star-studded event featuring acts from all genres of music. One such Tulsa show featured the Beach Boys, drew 7500 people, and raised over $50,000 for the United Way. This same generous spirit can be seen in Grady’s work with several Oklahoma area schools as he encourages children to embrace music and the arts.
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