Back in 2007, when Joe’s career was starting to sink a bit (he entered rehab that same year), he recorded a song called “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking?”  Blake Shelton, who is a pal and huge fan of Joe’s (“If he puts out a record, I’m one of the first people pushing old ladies over at Walmart to get one. I’ll punch ‘em if I have to,” he says)  heard the song on Joe’s record and thought, “man, that’s it…that’s Joe’s signature song of his career!”  Then it never got released as a single. So 3 years later, Blake’s giving it a try, and it’s working quite well.  Joe says he’s sorry he messed up and didn’t release it, but he’s glad that it’s his pal Blake who gets to make it a hit.  (This would be a sad story, by the way, if Joe hadn’t made a comeback recently with back to back hits.)  But anyway, the weird thing is how exactly alike the songs sound…same key, same arrangement!  Check ‘em out here:

Check out this very inspiring new video from Joe Nichols.  I love how Joe focus’ on the theme that you CAN overcome the toughest setbacks in life, given the right attitude.

The three military heroes in the video are . . . retired Navy SEAL MARCUS LUTTRELL . . . retired Army Captain CHAD FLEMING . . . and Army Captain IVAN CASTRO.  Each of them was chosen for their inspiring story.

5 years was the gap between #1 hits for Joe…between this week’s “Gimme That Girl” and 2005’s “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.”  And what a difference 5 years makes!  A lot happened during that time, and Joe is now talking more about his decision to get sober just after his marriage in 2007.  People around Joe (including us) had noticed that after a strong start in the music business he seemed to be stalling out and losing it a bit.  It was his wife, though, who brought on the turning point.  She had known Joe since high school, but once they got married, she felt almost like she didn’t recognize who he was.  One month after their wedding, she got up the nerve to confront him about his drinking, and he entered rehab soon after.  Now she says the light is back in his eyes and he’s back to being the guy she fell in love with ten years ago.  Good for Joe!!!