Jimmy Nichols, Nashville Session Musician and Touring Musical Director, Dead at 64

Nashville musician, musical director and producer Jimmy Nichols died over the weekend at age 64. During his career as a keyboardist, producer and musical director, Nichols has performed and/or recorded with artists including Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Mindy McCready, Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack and Gladys Knight.

According to the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Nichols was born Jan. 15, 1962. Growing up near Columbus, Ohio, he began performing with his siblings as part of the familial group The Nichols Brothers in the 1970s. According to an interview Nichols did with Yamaha All Access, the sibling group began touring with artists including Eddie Rabbitt, Willie Nelson and The Osmond Brothers, before The Nichols Brothers made their way to Nashville in the ’90s.

Nichols began playing keyboards on albums by Daryle Singletary and McCready. He soon began serving as a keyboardist/vocalist on the road with McCready, as well as handling band leader duties. In 2001, he became the musical director and pianist for McEntire, touring with her for five years. In 2006, following his role playing keyboards on Faith Hill’s Fireflies album, Nichols joined Hill and McGraw as musical director on their Soul2Soul II world tour.

“Touring was always in my blood,” Nichols previously said in an interview with Yamaha All Access. “I always consider myself an entertainer because of all those years I spent with the Brothers. When I get onstage, I hold nothing back. As a keyboard player, I try to be as entertaining and visual as I can.”

As a musician, Nichols was a 52-year member of the AFM and a 30-year AFM Local 257 member in Nashville.

He played on albums including Singletary’s 1995 self-titled album and 1996 album All Because of You, McCready’s Ten Thousand Angels and If I Don’t Stay The Night, McEntire’s All The Women I Am and If You See Him, Andy Griggs’ You Won’t Ever Be Lonely and Freedom, Urban’s Be Here and Days Go By, Womack’s There’s More Where That Came From, Underwood’s Play On, Blown Away and Carnival Ride, McGraw’s Southern Voice. He also played on albums by Craig Morgan, Billy Gilman, Scotty McCreery, Jeff Bates, Brandy Clark, Ty Herndon and many others.

Nichols was also instrumental in launching Black River Music Group and bringing in early label artists including Sarah Darling, Jeff Bates and Due West. He held the role of president and director of A&R at Black River, before leaving to help launch the artist development company Vision Artist Development in 2013.

Nichols was involved in the 2017 film Wheeler, written by Stephen Dorff and Ryan Ross, an ode to Nashville’s music scene.

Nichols also played keyboards on McGraw’s recently released song, “Song For America.”

On June 25, a benefit concert was held at Nashville venue 3rd & Lindsley for Nichols and his wife Tonya Ginnetti, who has been battling health issues. The concert included performances from artists including Deborah Allen, Griggs, Heidi Newfield, and Jonell Mosser as well as a Nichols Brothers reunion performance.

On June 27, Nichols was inducted into the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame.

Information regarding a memorial service for Nichols has yet to be released.