Roy Nichols

Roy Ernest Nichols was born in Chandler, Arizona, to Bruce and Lucille Nichols, where he was the first born of seven children. The Nichols family moved to Fresno, California, when he was two where they owned a camp for migrant farm workers. Sometimes a traveling gypsy band would stay at the camp and the young Nichols would hide and watch them play. His father Bruce was also a musician, playing upright bass at local dances on the weekends in the San Joaquin Valley. Nichols was drawn to his father’s music. He learned some basic chords from his father and began playing in his father\'s band on the weekends when he was only 11. By age 14, Nichols began playing weekends with Curly Roberts and the Rangers where he earned $25 a week.\n', '

Shortly before his 16th birthday, Nichols met Fred Maddox, of the Maddox Brothers and Rose, a colorful hillbilly band, who heard Nichols playing guitar on F…