# Shane Nicholson (singer)

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.

## 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 J Unearthed competition in the Sunshine Coast division. Shortly after this, the band name changed to Pretty Violet Stain and released an extended play in 1997 called Blush. 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. USA Today named It's a Movie one of the top pop albums of 2004.
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

Nicholson joined with wife Kasey Chambers for the album Rattlin' Bones, which was released in April 2008 and debuted at number 1 on the ARIA charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2008, it won ARIA Award for Best Country Album. The album won five Golden Guitar Awards at the Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) in January 2009.
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.

### 2014–2020: Hell Breaks Loose and Love and Blood

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. 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.
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.
Nicholson appeared as an on-camera music producer in ABC television production of The Recording Studio, a 10-part series that ran in April 2019. The music from the series won the 2019 ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.
In May 2019, Nicholson was signed a publishing deal with Cooking Vinyl Australia.
On 3 April 2020, Nicholson confirmed the digital reissued of his back-catalogue.

### 2021: Living in Colour

In July 2021, Nicholson announced the release of his forthcoming studio album, Living in Colour. The album was released on 20 August 2021. August also saw the release of Camille Trail's album River of Sin which Nicholson had produced. It debuted at #34 on the ARIA Country Music Charts, and #5 on the ARIA Australian Country Music Charts.

## Personal life

On 17 December 2005 Nicholson married fellow country music singer-songwriter, Kasey Chambers. In 2002, Chambers sung on Nicholson's debut solo album "Designed to Fade", which was produced by Kasey's brother, Nash. 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.

## Discography
### Albums
#### Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Album details | AUS | Certifications |
| It's a Movie | Released: 2002 Label: EastWest / Warner (245577, 0927455772) Formats: CD | — | |
| Faith & Science | Released: 2006 Label: Essence / EMI (094636128429) Formats: CD | — | |
| Rattlin' Bones (with Kasey Chambers) | Released: 21 April 2008 Label: Essence / Liberation (LMCD005) Formats: CD, LP, download | 1 | ARIA: Platinum |
| Familiar Ghosts | Released: 2008 Label: Liberation (LMCD025) Formats: CD, download | — | |
| Bad Machines | Released: March 2011 Label: Liberation (LMCD0127) Formats: CD, download | 29 | |
| Wreck & Ruin (with Kasey Chambers) | Released: 23 October 2012 Label: Essence / Liberation (LMCD0178) Formats: CD, LP, download | 6 | |
| Hell Breaks Loose | Released: August 2015 Label: Lost Highway Australia, UMA (4745547) Formats: CD, LP, download | 16 | |
| Love and Blood | Released: August 2017 Label: Lost Highway Australia, UMA (5772093) Formats: CD, LP, download | 28 | |
| Living in Colour | Released: 20 August 2021 Label: Lost Highway Australia, Island (3807851) Formats: CD, LP, download, streaming | 68 | |

#### Soundtrack albums

List of soundtrack albums with selected details :
| Title | Album details |
| Mad Bastards (with The Pigram Brothers, Alex Lloyd & Kasey Chambers) | Released: 2011 Label: Bush Turkey Films (BTF001) Formats: CD, Digital download |

#### Live albums

List of live albums with selected details :
| Title | Album details |
| Pitch, Roll & Yaw – Live and Solo | Released: November 2014 Label: UMA (4711153) Formats: CD, digital download |

#### Compilation albums

List of compilation albums with selected details :
| Title | Album details |
| Sleeping Dogs – The Rarities | Released: 2011 Label: Shane Nicholson Formats: CD |

### EPs

List of EP with selected details :
| Title | Album details |
| It's a Home Movie | Released: 2002 Label: EastWest / Warner (SHANSAM002) Formats: Promotional CD |
| Exit Wounds | Released: 2011 Label: Liberation / UMA Formats: CD, download |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | AUS | Album |
| "Designed to Fade" | 2002 | — | It's a Movie |
| "I Wish I Was You (Sometimes)" | 2003 | — | It's a Movie |
| "I Know What You Need" | 2006 | 54 | Faith & Science |
| "Safe and Sound" | 2007 | — | Faith & Science |
| "Rattlin' Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2008 | 55 | Rattlin' Bones |
| "Monkey on a Wire" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2008 | — | Rattlin' Bones |
| "Summer Dress" | 2008 | — | Familiar Ghosts |
| "Wildflower" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2009 | — | Rattlin' Bones |
| "Where the Water Goes" | 2009 | — | Familiar Ghosts |
| "Bad Machines" | 2010 | — | Bad Machines |
| "Famous Last Words" | 2011 | — | Bad Machines |
| "Whistling Cannonballs" (with Paul Kelly) | 2011 | — | Bad Machines |
| "Jimmie Rodgers Was a Vampire" | 2011 | — | Bad Machines |
| "Adam & Eve" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2012 | — | Wreck & Ruin |
| "The Quiet Life" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2012 | — | Wreck & Ruin |
| "Wreck & Ruin" (with Kasey Chambers) | 2013 | — | Wreck & Ruin |
| "Secondhand Man" | 2015 | — | Hell Breaks Loose |
| "When the Money's All Gone" | 2015 | — | Hell Breaks Loose |
| "Weight of the World" | 2016 | — | Hell Breaks Loose |
| "Safe" | 2017 | — | Love and Blood |
| "I Don't Dance" | 2017 | — | Love and Blood |
| "Even If You Were the One" | 2017 | — | Love and Blood |
| "As Above, So Below" (with Aleyce Simmonds) | 2018 | — | More Than Meets the Eye |
| "The High Price of Surviving" | 2020 | — | Living in Colour |
| "Long Way from Lonely" (with Hunger Kaine) | 2020 | — | non album singles |
| "Don't Take John Prine" | 2020 | — | non album singles |
| "Harvest On Vinyl" | 2021 | — | Living in Colour |
| "Life Ain't Fine" | 2021 | — | Living in Colour |
| "And You Will Have Your Way" | 2021 | — | Living in Colour |
| "Sometimes" (with Tori Forsyth) | 2023 | — | |

## Awards and nominations
### AIR Awards

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.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2011 | Bad Machines | Best Independent Artist | Nominated |

### Americana Music Awards

The Americana Music Honors & Awards honours distinguished members of the music community. Nicholson has been nominated twice.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2009 | Nicholson and Kasey Chambers | Best Duo/ Group of the Year | Nominated |
| 2010 | "Rattlin' Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Song of the Year | Nominated |

### APRA Music Awards

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.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2009 | "Rattlin Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2009 | "Rattlin Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Country Work of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | "Bad Machines" | Country Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Bad Machines" | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2012 | Country Work of the Year | "Famous Last Words" | Won |
| 2013 | "Adam and Eve" (Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2013 | "The Quiet Life" (Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2016 | "Secondhand Man" | Country Work of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Secondhand Man" | Song of the Year | Shortlisted |

### ARIA Music Awards

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.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2008 | Rattlin' Bones (with Kasey Chambers) | Best Country Album | Won |
| 2008 | Rattlin' Bones (with Kasey Chambers) | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2008 | Aaron Hayward & David Homer for Rattlin' Bones | Best Cover Art | Nominated |
| 2009 | Rattlin' Bones Max Sessions (with Kasey Chambers) | Best Music DVD | Nominated |
| 2009 | Familiar Ghosts | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| 2011 | Bad Machines | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| 2013 | Wreck & Ruin (with Kasey Chambers) | Best Country Album | Won |
| 2013 | Glen Hannah for Wreck & Ruin | Best Cover Art | Nominated |
| 2015 | Hell Breaks Loose | Best Country Album | Won |
| 2015 | "Secondhand Man" (directed by Filmery) | Best Video | Nominated |
| 2017 | Love and Blood | Best Country Album | Nominated |
| 2021 | Living in Colour | Best Country Album | Nominated |

### Country Music Awards of Australia

The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. Nicholson has won fifteen awards.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2009 | Rattlin' Bones (with Kasey Chambers) | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2009 | Rattlin' Bones (with Kasey Chambers) | Highest Selling Album | Won |
| 2009 | "Rattlin' Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2009 | "Rattlin' Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Single of the Year | Won |
| 2009 | "Rattlin' Bones" (with Kasey Chambers) | Video of the Year | Won |
| 2009 | himself with Kasey Chambers | Group/Duo of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | Bad Machines | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Bad Machines" | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | "Bad Machines" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Bad Machines" | Male Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Whistling Cannonballs" (with Paul Kelly) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | "Famous Last Words" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2012 | Songs & Pictures by Beccy Cole | Producer of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | Wreck & Ruin (with Kasey Chambers) | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | "Adam & Eve" (with Kasey Chambers) | Group or Duo of the Year | Won |
| 2013 | "Adam & Eve" (with Kasey Chambers) | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | "Adam & Eve" (with Kasey Chambers) | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | "Adam & Eve" (with Kasey Chambers) | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | "Reach For You" (with Harmony James) | Vocal collaboration of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | himself | Producer of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Hell Breaks Loose | Alternative Country Album of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Hell Breaks Loose | Male Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | Hell Breaks Loose | Top Selling Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Secondhand Man" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Secondhand Man" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Secondhand Man" | Video Clip of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Hermannsburg" | Heritage Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | Producer of the Year | Sweet Rebecca by Beccy Cole | Nominated |
| 2018 | Love and Blood | Alternative Country Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | Love and Blood | Male Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | "Safe" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | "Safe" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2021 | "The High Price of Surviving" | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2021 | "The High Price of Surviving" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | Living in Colour | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | Living in Colour | Alt Country Album of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | And You Will Have Your Way" | Song of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | And You Will Have Your Way" | Single of the Year | Won |
| 2023 | "Wiser" (with Lyn Bowtell) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Nominated |
| 2024 | "Sometimes" (with Toni Forsyth) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Pending |

## Selected Production work

| Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
| 2009 | Lou Bradley | La La La Not Listening | |
| 2010 | Catherine Britt | Catherine Britt | ARIA Award for Best Country Album, nominated (2010) |
| 2011 | Beccy Cole | Songs & Pictures | ARIA Award for Best Country Album, nominated (2012) |
| 2012 | Quarry Mountain Dead Rats | Bloodhound Killed My Squeezebox | |
| 2013 | Alex Lloyd | Urban Wilderness | |
| 2014 | Lyn Bowtell | Heart of Sorrow | |
| 2014 | Jodi Martin | Saltwater | |
| 2015 | Beccy Cole | Sweet Rebecca | |
| 2015 | Suze DeMarchi | Home | |
| 2016 | Katie Brianna | The Victim or The Heroine | |
| 2016 | Jason Walker | All-Night Ghost Town | |
| 2016 | Amber Lawrence | Happy Ever After | |
| 2016 | Tori Forsyth | Dawn of the Dark | CMAA Alternative Country Album of the Year, nominated (2017) |
| 2018 | Ben Leece | No Wonder The World Is Exhausted | |
| 2021 | Camille Trail | River of Sins | |