Dan Nichols
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Dan Nichols is one of the most popular and influential Jewish musicians in North America, performing over 200 concerts a year. His music has become an important part of the Reform Jewish movement, with synagogue youth and clergy alike incorporating it into their curriculum and services. His last two albums have garnered critical acclaim and a legion of growing fans. Songs like "L'takein (The Na Na Song)," "B'tzelem Elohim," "Kehilah Kedoshah," and "My Heart is in the East" are some of the most popular songs in Reform Judaism today. (taken from his website)
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[edit] Discography
- Life - Dan Nichols and E18hteen
- Kol HaShabbat - Dan Nichols and E18hteen
- Be Strong - Dan Nichols and E18hteen
- My Heart Is In The East - Dan Nichols and E18hteen
- The Day After Tomorrow - Dan Nichols
[edit] Biography
Dan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1982. He attended UNC and graduated with a music degree in vocal performance. In 1993, Dan, along with bandmates Rich Avery, David Brainard, and Ray Duffey, released their self-titled album "The Olskies" [1]. Dan co-founded the Olskies in 1989 along with Sonny "Lou" Shields, Avery, and Duffey, and were a staple in the burgeoning college music scene in the Carolinas throughout 1989-1994. Dan's bandmates with the Olskies went on to form such bands as The Tonebenders, Six String Drag, The Countdown Quartet, and Patty Hurst Shifter.
In the mid 90's, Nichols moved to Nashville, TN and founded E18hteen with fellow musician Mason Cooper who co-wrote many of E18hteen's early songs. Dan moved back to Raleigh in 2005 to lead Temple Beth Or's music program as well as to work with E18hteen. In 2006, he resigned as music director for the temple as his commitments to the reform Jewish music world required his focus. He began his journey with reform Jewish music while a camper at Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI) in Indiana, where he feel in love with the traditions and joy of camp and the sense of community it fostered. Today, Dan travels the country encouraging reform Jewish congregations to share their faith and sense of community through music.
Dan is married and has one daughter who was born in 2005.
[edit] NFTY
Dan Nichols was a leading musician at NFTY Convention in both 2005 and 2007. NFTY, the North American Federation of Temple Youth, is the Reform Jewish movement's youth organization. Its national conventions, held every two years, generally draw over a thousand Jewish high school students.
Dan Nichols has also worked at NFTY's Kutz Camp, a URJ summer camp in New York exclusively for high school students.
