In a genre that has occasionally drifted away from its three chords and the truth mission statement, Joe Nichols has never wavered. “I’m a singer of country songs,” he declares. “That’s what I do.”

It’s that steadfast commitment to country music that’s made Joe one of Nashville’s most honest and versatile voices, regarded for his warm and distinctly country tone by everyone from Dolly Parton to Post Malone — he’s sung with both. The ability to connect with fans both on a record and on a stage is a rare gift, but Joe — like fellow dyed-in-the-wool trad-country vocalists George Strait, Parker McCollum, and Cody Johnson —made a career out of making it look easy. Since arriving on the scene as a teenager, he’s had a knack for finding and singing just the right song for the right moment. In the end, Honky Tonks and Country Songs is an album a lot like Joe himself: The country music is what you’ll notice immediately, but hang around a little and you’ll learn about the artist too. Like how he first had success while only in his 20s, why he’s fascinated by science and UFOs, and all he has yet ahead of him as an influential and current country singer.