Real Things (CD - 2007)

Personnel: Joe Nichols (background vocals); Byran Sutton (mandocello); David Hungate (upright bass, bass guitar); Craig Young (bass guitar); Lee Ann Womack (background vocals); Brent Rowan (acoustic guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, sitar, piano, harmonium, Wurlitzer organ, Mellotron, 6-string bass); Mac McAnally (acoustic guitar, resonator guitar); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, mandocello, mandolin); J.T. Corenflos (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (dobro); Aubrey Haynie (mandolin, fiddle); Jim Hoke (horns); Gordon Mote (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer organ); Shannon Forrest (drums, percussion); Eric Darken (percussion); Universal Records South Family Singers, Wes Hightower, Perry Coleman, Morgane Hayes (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Lee Ann Womack.

Audio Mixers: Craig White; Greg Droman.

Recording information: Curb Studios, Nashville, TN; Ocean Way Nashville, Nashville, TN; Starstruck, Nashville, TN; Studio 44, Nashville, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Christian Lantry.

Following the mainstream success of Joe Nichols's hit "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" from his previous album JOE NICHOLS III, the Nashville singer could easily have become a successful purveyor of similar pop-oriented novelty hits. Encouragingly, REAL THINGS instead makes a left turn into traditional country, filled with acoustic ballads such as "Another Side of You" and "All Good Things." Even the rowdy "Let's Get Drunk and Fight" sounds more like Alan Jackson than Big and Rich. Other highlights include a lovely cover of Blaze Foley's "If I Could Only Fly" sung with Lee Ann Womack. minimize