The year was 2005 and country music was looking for something to boost itself into the next generation’s iPods, and Joe Nichols answered the call with “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.”
But little did we know that at the time of it’s release, nobody at his record label at the time, Universal South Records, wanted the song to ever see the light of day.
Joe Nichols Reveals Why Record Label Tried To Shut Down One Of His Biggest Hits
Nichols was a guest on Taste of Country Nights where he smoothly and confidently told the story of how he never gave up on “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” which would arguably wind up becoming his signature song.
“I remember they called a meeting with me and I had to go in and sit down in the office and it was like one of these, ‘No managers in the meeting, just you and me.'”
He continued, “And that’s when he broke the news to me that there were a lot of women at the label that were offended and they thought a lot of other women would be offended, and ‘This would kill your career.'”
Joe Nichols Never Backed Down
Nichols knew he had a hit on his hands and did not back down to the pressure.
“‘I’m very sorry. I would never want to offend them and if you listen to the song it’s not offensive, in my opinion,” he remembers saying. “That song is a hit and if you choose not to put it out you’ll never get support on anything again in my opinion.'”
Read More: Joe Nichols Ticked Off Hank Williams Jr.: ‘It Felt Like I Disappointed My Dad’ [Exclusive]
Even at the early stages of his career, Nichols stood firm on his decision, and the results paid dividends.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
