TIM NICHOLS

This Nashville songwriter, by way of Springfield, Missouri, discovered early on in his career that songwriting was the key to most of the music industry’s doors. Now with nearly two dozen smash hits, multiple BMI songwriting awards, a Grammy for Best Country Song, as well as Song of the Year honors from the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music, Tim has earned his place among Nashville's most elite and respected tunesmiths.

Tim first gained exposure with a 60 Minutes exposé with Mike Wallace. From that exposure Nichols formed a band, found a booking agent, and began playing clubs and fairs throughout the Midwest. In 1986 country star Ronnie Milsap recorded a Nichols composition that lead to his first publishing deal. Other hits soon followed as Tim began making his mark at the top of the country charts, with his songs being recorded by the industry's biggest stars.

In 2004, along with Craig Wiseman, Nichols wrote Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying," which stayed at #1 for ten consecutive weeks. In addition to breaking a 30 year record, "Live Like You Were Dying" won the Grammy award for Best Country Song in 2005. It also won the Song of the Year award from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, BMI Country Awards, ASCAP Country Awards, Billboard and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It is the only song to have won every major song award that is presented for country music.

Other artists to record Nichols' songs include Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Keith Whitley, Brad Paisley, Lee Ann Womack, Patty Loveless, Gretchen Wilson, Joe Nichols, Phil Vassar, Clint Black, and Kenny Rogers. Feeling the importance of giving back to the community and the industry, Nichols has served on the Board of Directors of the Nashville Songwriter Association International, the Country Music Association, and High Hopes, a therapeutic preschool which serves special needs children in Nashville and the surrounding counties.