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Roger Nichols
Roger Nichols was born Roger Scott Nichols on September 17, 1940, in Missoula, Montana into a music-loving family. His dad studied journalism and was a pro photographer who also played sax in local jazz bands, while his mom was a trained classical pianist. Roger's older brother Ted would go on to become a composer, best known for his work at Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1963 to 1972, where he composed scores for such shows as "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", "Space Ghost", "Birdman and the Galaxy Trio", and "Josie and the Pussycats", among others.
In 1945, the family moved to California, where Roger (who was sixteen years younger than his brother), took up violin at the age of seven, and quickly emerged as a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass, and piano.
In California however, Roger found himself torn between basketball and music. He was a very promising sportsman, and although he ended up going to UCLA on a basketball scholarship, he was eventually obliged by the team manager to make a choice between basketball and music. Roger dropped basketball, eventually majoring in music and cinematography.
After UCLA, Roger worked in a bank for two years, and also served in the navy, while on weekends, he played with his group, Roger Nichols And A Small Circle of Friends. Unusually for the time, they mainly performed original songs written by Roger himself.
In 1965, Liberty Records signed the band to a recording contract but failed to release anything by them, so on a tip from a friend, Nichols called Herb Alpert at A&M Records, asking to be allowed to play some songs for him. A&M signed the band, and released one album, but it failed to sell. However Roger was by now also signed to A&M Music Publishing, where he was introduced to lyricist Paul Williams. Their very first song "It's Hard to Say Goodbye" was recorded by Claudine Longet, but although they produced more than two dozen new songs over the next four years, they scored no hits.
However, an advertising executive handling the Crocker Bank account uregently needed a jingle which would contain the line "You've got a long way to and go and we'd like to help you get there" and asked Roger if he could help. Given that the budget offered for writing and recording the track was only $300, Roger initially demurred but ten days later, he and Williams delivered the jingle on condition they would retain all of the publishing rights, apart from the right to use it as an advertising vehicle for any company other than Crocker.
When Richard Carpenter of the Carpenters heard the jingle on radio some weeks later, he saw its potential, and persuaded the pair to re-work the song. "We've Only Just Begun" became one of the duo’s signature hits, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970 and earning its place as a wedding standard for generations.
Nichols and Williams continued their fruitful collaboration with other hits for the Carpenters, including “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You.” These songs, marked by Nichols’ sophisticated melodic sensibility and Williams’ poignant lyrics, epitomized the soft pop sound of the 1970s. “Out in the Country,” another Nichols-Williams creation, was recorded by Three Dog Night and became a modest hit in 1970, lauded for its environmental themes and introspective tone.
Though his primary fame came through his writing, Nichols also recorded his own material, though these efforts were less commercially prominent. His early solo album, "Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends", released in 1968, showcased his melodic gifts and featured intricate arrangements and polished vocal harmonies. While not a commercial success at the time, the album later gained a cult following among fans of baroque and sunshine pop.
In a career spanning sixty years, Roger's songs were recorded by such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, The Monkees, and Paul Williams.
International Songwriters Association Hall Of Famer Member.
Roger Nichols died the age of 84, on the 17th May 2025, in Portland, Oregon, USA, of undisclosed causes.
© Jim Liddane
Copyright Songwriter Magazine, International Songwriters Association & Jim Liddane: All Rights Reserved
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