Meet Bob Nicholson
Singer and songwriter, Bob Nicholson has a passion for music… and as with all things in life, that passion is what fuels him. Although songwriting is where his heart is, he understands that covers are what opens the door to an audience. But he won’t forgo his joy of playing just to appeal to a crowd.
“A musician has to be true to himself,” he said.
Expect to hear classic rock favorites from the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty this week when Bob plays at Market.
The why
It all began for Bob when he first saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He called the experience “eye opening.” Seeing the King play helped him recognize that there were a lot of perks to playing music. Girls being the most obvious one.
“Sports were difficult [for me], but playing [music] sounded fun,” Bob said. “When you are a teenager, you’re attracted to the opposite sex, and being on the sports team was a way to get a date… I thought, there’s got to be a better way.”
These days, his favorite part of playing is seeing the thrill or satisfaction of his audience. Whereas the tip jar can be a good measure of that appreciation, he said seeking applause is like barking at the moon.
“The appreciation is when they come up to you and let you know that … I inadvertently invoked a nice memory,” he added. “Play the song, hit a memory. “It’s like high school reunions but better.”
His influences
Growing up, Bob was surrounded by neighbors several years older than him, and as a result he was exposed to the great bands of the 50s. He said this music still has an influence on him today.
When asked what songs he likes to play he said, “All of them.” However, he did mention a few favorites, such as, “We Can Work it Out,” by The Beatles, “My Back Pages,” by Bob Dylan and “Mandolin Wind,” by Rod Stewart… which he enjoys playing even if he doesn’t play mandolin.
“You need to be happy because you get to a certain age and you have a limited number of years. And I want to be happy and live the rest of my life being happy,” Bob said. “Music makes me happy. It’s better than any drug there is out there. The high you get from performing on stage, no drug can do that. I get stage fright. But once that first note rings, I’m fine.”
The venue
Bob enjoys playing at restaurants and wineries over bars and nightclubs…. He prefers the hours and the intimacy of the crowds. He appreciates that the volume, as with the farmers market, is kept at a level that allows people to continue their conversations, letting the music become more background noise rather than the main event. He’ll often play senior centers, as well, bringing back memories of the music the residents loved in their youth.
Because Bob finds that having a band is similar to juggling several marriages at once (lots of personalities to coordinate), he is most likely to be found playing solo gigs, like he will be at Market this week. He will on occasion play duo with a female vocalist
“Whatever the job calls for, I do,” Bob said. “If I can do it solo, I will. If they need a trio, I can call on people to do it.” The important thing is that he gets to play.
Beyond the guitar
In addition to his career as a professional musician, Bob volunteers in his spare time. He enjoys giving back to youth, and he mentors high school and college students in TV and film through a program on a local West Milford cable station, as well as giving yearly workshops through Passaic county.
Although Bob admits he hasn’t enjoyed wild success in his music career, the wins and successes he has experienced is part of what makes it all worthwhile.
“It’s what I do and what I enjoy to do,” he said. “Some people have hobbies, bowling darts or organizations and that’s what works for them, and this works for me. “It’s more than a hobby. It’s a passion. We [smaller musicians] do the same things as the big guys do, we’re just not recognized. Same work, same effort, same model but on a smaller, more local scale.”
In addition to catching Bob at the Farmers Market, he plays at The Vreeland Store once every month or so on Thursday nights. Visit him on Facebook to catch his upcoming shows.