Shane Nicholson is an Australian singer-songwriter from Brisbane. He has released 11 albums, both in Australia and internationally, and has won 3 ARIA Awards, 15 Golden Guitars, and 2 APRA Awards. He's twice been named Producer of the Year at the Country Music Awards of Australia.[1]
Career
1990s–2001: Freak and Pretty Violet Stain
During his final year of high school, Nicholson was part of a band called Freak, which won an early round of Triple JUnearthed competition in the Sunshine Coast division.[2] Shortly after this, the band name changed to Pretty Violet Stain and released an extended play in 1997 called Blush.[3] This was followed by singles "If the Money's Right", "Never Come Down" and "Talk" and album Parachutes and Gravity, which was released in 2000. The band split shortly after.
2002–2007: It's a Movie and Faith and Science
Nicholson signed with EastWest and released his debut studio album It's a Movie in 2002. It was during the recording of this album with Nash Chambers that Nicholson met Kasey Chambers. The two dueted on the lead single, "Designed to Fade".
He toured in Australia and made his United States debut at the South by Southwest Festival, which prompted his signing with Virt Records and a more extensive American tour.[4]USA Today named It's a Movie one of the top pop albums of 2004.[5]
A second solo album, Faith and Science, was released in 2006 and included the single "I Know What You Need", which became his first charting single, peaking at number 54.
2008–2013: Albums with Kasey Chambers, Familiar Ghosts and Bad Machines
Between tours he recorded a third solo album, Familiar Ghosts, which was released in November 2008 and was nominated for an Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009. This coincided with Nicholson moving into music production.
In March 2011, Nicholson released his sixth solo album, Bad Machines, which peaked at number 29. Nicholson and his wife welcomed a baby girl on 6 October 2011, named Poet Poppin Nicholson.
At the January 2012 CMAA, Nicholson won the Song of the Year for his song, "Bad Machines". Also in 2012, Nicholson won the APRA Country Work of the Year award for "Famous Last Words".
In September 2012, Nicholson and Chambers released a second collaborative album, Wreck & Ruin was peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. The album was nominated for 5 awards at the 2013 CMAA awards, ultimately winning the couple the award for "Group/Duo of the Year". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2013, the album won Best Country Album. Nicholson was named Producer of the Year at the 2013 Country Music Awards of Australia.
On 23 April 2013, it was announced that Nicholson and Kasey Chambers had separated, with the collision of work and family life said to have forced their split.[6]
In 2014, Nicholson signed a new recording deal with Lost Highway Australia/Universal Music, and released his first live album, Pitch, Roll & Yaw – Live and Solo.
June 2015 saw the release of "Secondhand Man", the first single from Nicholson's album Hell Breaks Loose. The album was written amongst the break up of this married to Chambers.[7] Released in August 2015, it debuted at No. 16 on the ARIA chart.
Hell Breaks Loose won the ARIA award for Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 and received 7 CMAA nominations at the 2016 CMAA awards. The album won Alternative Country Album of the Year Award.[8]
Love and Blood was released in July 2017 and debuted at No. 28 on the ARIA chart. It was nominated for Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2017. At the CMAA in January 2018, Nicholson won Male Artist of the Year.[9]
In July 2021, Nicholson announced the release of his forthcoming studio album, Living in Colour. The album was released on 20 August 2021.[14] August also saw the release of Camille Trail's album River of Sin which Nicholson had produced.[15] It debuted at #34 on the ARIA Country Music Charts, and #5 on the ARIA Australian Country Music Charts.[16][17]
Personal life
On 17 December 2005 Nicholson married fellow country music singer-songwriter, Kasey Chambers.[18] In 2002, Chambers sung on Nicholson's debut solo album "Designed to Fade", which was produced by Kasey's brother, Nash.[19] Subsequently, they co-released two albums, Rattlin' Bones (2008) and Wreck & Ruin (2012). Chambers and Nicholson have two children: son Arlo Ray (2007) and daughter Poet Poppin (2011). In April 2013 the couple announced their separation.[20]
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
The APRA Music Awards is annual awards ceremony that celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performance. Nicholson has won two awards from five nominations.
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Nicholson has won three awards from eleven nominations.[51]
^Bledsoe, Wayne (23 July 2004). ""Just one person": Songwriter seeks stray successes in shine of solitary spotlight". Knoxville News Sentinel. p. 5.
^Gundersen, Edna; Steve Jones; Elysa Gardner; Brian Mansfield; Ken Barnes (28 December 2004). "Critics gang up on the world of music". USA Today. p. D6.
Top 100 peaks to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 202.
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