Jared James Nichols

Wisconsin-born guitarist Jared James Nichols channels a raw, 1970s-inflected brand of hard-rocking blues through his self-named power trio.

Born in Waukesha in 1989 and raised in nearby East Troy, Nichols drew his earliest spark from Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose last concert before the fatal plane crash happened to occur in Nichols’ own hometown. During his late teenage years he began forging a personal approach, folding in heavier rock elements that led critics to liken his sound to that of Cream or Mountain.

In 2010, at age twenty-one, Nichols relocated to Los Angeles, where he assembled the trio alongside bassist Diego Edsel and drummer Dennis Holm. The classic-rock media praised his technical command and emotive singing; as a result he collected multiple awards, appeared at various blues festivals, and shared bills on international tours with Blue Öyster Cult, Saxon, and Zakk Wylde before eventually settling in Nashville. Rejecting both a pick and a tuner, he relied on a modified vintage guitar fitted with a lone pickup and a single effects pedal, aiming to channel his own character directly through minimal means. After fracturing his arm in 2022 and undergoing surgery, he resumed performing within two weeks, crediting his rapid return to a disciplined fitness routine.

His first album, Old Glory & Wild Revival, surfaced in 2015 on Listenable Records, an imprint primarily associated with extreme metal. Black Magic followed in 2017. The third, self-titled release arrived in 2023 via Black Hill Records and came nearest to translating his celebrated concert energy onto disc.