Jared James Nichols has topped off a busy week that saw him appointed Gibson Brand Ambassador by announcing the release of a new EP, Shadow Dancer, and sharing a single from it.
Skin 'N Bone is the first taste from the forthcoming EP and arrives with a lyric video, a whole heap of scorching blues-rock electric guitar, and a message that calls for a bit of unity as we are, after all, stuck here on this rock together.
“The idea stems from making sure our eyes our open and coming together instead of breaking apart,“ says Nichols. “I may not be great at sitting down and having a conversation with you about my feelings, but I can play a song like Skin 'N Bone that shows you how I’m feeling and support it with sound and with guitar and with all the bombastic craziness that I put on it.”
Anyone who has seen Nichols mangle his signature Epiphone Old Glory Les Paul can attest to that. He is not one for holding back, and should Best Blues Face ever become a recognised category at the Olympics he remains a dead cert for a podium finish.
Speaking of his being appointed brand ambassador for Gibson, Nichols say that the brand was “so much more than just six strings and a piece of wood“ and paid tribute to his home town's most famous alumni, Les Paul.
“Gibson Guitars embody who I am and have been the soundtrack and inspiration of my life,“ he said. “I am honoured and grateful to be recognised as an ambassador for the most iconic guitar maker in the world. From being born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the same town as Les Paul, to now being a Nashville-based and part of the vibrant music scene here, I feel like this a testament to Les, and the legacy, as well as the future of this iconic brand.“
Out on 17 September through Black Hill Records, Shadow Dancer is available to preorder. Nichols, meanwhile, will be heading the road from 10 August supporting John 5 in his tour across the States. See here for full dates.
