They tell you in journalism school that you have to remain neutral. With steely-eyed resolve, you must treat your subjects dispassionately to get to the truth. And you should never cheerlead for the people you report on.

Fortunately, I never went to journalism school, because I am rooting for Jared James Nichols.  

The blues-infused rocker kicks off his first headlining U.S. tour at Sweetwater Sound on Nov. 14. Tickets for the show are free, but you’ll want to rush to sweetwater.com/local/events to reserve your spot before they’re gone.

Headlining his own tour

I caught up with Nichols by Zoom during a break on his European tour to discuss the tour and more.

“This is my first ever headline tour across America,” he said. “And I say that with a lot of excitement, because I played headline shows in the Midwest for years. But this is the first time that we’re doing a full-fledged tour, so I couldn’t be more excited. 

“It’s going to be really fun. Fans can expect an epic night of guitar rock n’ roll. And what I love is having a headline set. I can really express myself in all the different kind of styles I love. And I’m just really excited. And it’s going to be amazing.”

Nichols’ excitement is contagious. Even in a tedious Zoom interview after a soundcheck thousands of miles away, his energy is impossible to escape. He loves what he’s doing, and he can’t wait to share it. 

Not too picky

Nichols is known for his transcendent guitar skill, but other guitarists will quickly note how different his style is from others. He plays without benefit of a pick.

“I was probably 15 when my dad talked me into giving up drums to play the guitar,” he said. “But here’s the thing: I’m a lefty. So, when I first picked up a guitar, I was holding it like Jimi Hendrix, left-handed. I got a guitar lesson with that first guitar, and the teacher said, ‘I’m not going to teach you like that. It’s too much work. You have to flip the guitar.’ I was OK with that, but I just never got along with the pick. I would try and I would practice, but it felt so natural to have the feel of the fretting hand, the hand on the neck. I wanted to have that with my pick hand, too.”

Soon he found that he was in good company.

“People would say to me, ‘You have to use a pick if you’re going to be a real guitarist.’ And I just decided that I’m just going to try this,” he said. “And then I heard guys like Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler, Albert King, Derek Trucks… All playing pickless. 

“It never occurred to me that it would be a big thing in my style, but it sure has, and it’s kind of cool.”

Bestowing wisdom

Nichols’ hard work put him in demand as a young guitarist and he found himself playing with some of his heroes. 

“You know, one of the people that I learned the most from was Zakk Wylde, who played with Ozzy Osbourne when I was on tour with him for about three months straight,” Nichols said. “Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top taught me the same thing: There’s a humility in being a musician and letting things roll off your back. Don’t turn molehills into mountains, because it’s about having fun. When it’s time to hit the stage you gotta play, you gotta be on it. 

“But at the end of the day, I’m so fortunate to be playing music.  I’m fortunate to be able to do this. I learned from those guys that we’re so lucky to have this as our job. Embrace it, and really use it to help and empower the people that are coming to the shows.”

Like those that have helped him along the way, Nichols is spreading his joy of music with the younger generations. 

“When I’m on the road, I do a meet-and-greet every single day,” he said. “I’ll be in a music shop, and it is so cool because I see the kids that show up. I’ll be jamming a little bit and there’ll be 20 or 30 kids there and they’re all looking at me like ‘Whoa!’ And I see them in me, because I know that feeling. And they ask me for advice now.

“The first thing I tell them is have fun. You gotta have fun. Music is all about fun and connecting. It’s not a competition; it’s not a sport. It’s about creativity and expressing yourself. 

“And the last thing I tell them is ‘Be yourself.’ The world doesn’t need another Slash (guitarist for Guns N’ Roses). The world needs you. Embrace your heroes, embrace the music you love, but don’t be afraid to be yourself.”

Gibson, Blackstar take notice

Gibson Guitars named Nichols one of their global ambassadors in 2021. At 34 years old, he’s a lot younger than the other global ambassadors that include Slash, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. 

Being on a list with those names is an honor not lost on him.

“I’ve been a Gibson Epiphone user since I was 15 years old,” he said. “I was born and raised in Wisconsin, right near where Les Paul is from (Waukesha, Wisconsin). I feel like I always had a Les Paul on my shoulder. It’s in my blood. So essentially, it’s a deep partnership with Gibson, and they’ve been like my family. It’s just been so cool to be recognized by them.”

Nichols favorite amp maker also offered him a rare opportunity when Blackstar designed his signature amp. 

“It was crazy. I never dreamed that far,” he said. “Blackstar approached me and wanted to do an amp. I got to go to their headquarters in England. We walk into this room, and they have a big whiteboard, and it says Jared James Nichols, and they said, ‘All right, tell us what you want in an amp.’ 

“We sat in that room for about 10 hours. We just talked about everything. Tried a ton of stuff. It was almost like a dream come true. I can’t even tell you how cool that felt to be able to design my dream. And I still use it to this day.”

This might be Nichols’ first headlining national tour, but he’ll probably be fine without my cheerleading. 

“This is my first headline run, but it’s going to be the first of many, and I would love as many people there to experience it as possible, because I’m pulling out all the stops,” he said. “Fort Wayne always held a really cool place in my heart, so for me to come back and do my first proper headline show… It’s gonna be special.”