Background
Dan Nichols was born in 1969 in Indiana. He and his parents converted to Judaism when he was 7, after his mother "went on a quest for spirituality".
Dan Nichols was born in 1969 in Indiana. He and his parents converted to Judaism when he was 7, after his mother "went on a quest for spirituality".
He attended Pike Township Schools in Indianapolis. He attended Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and camped at Goldman Union in Zionsville, Indiana.
Nichols is an alum of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received a bachelor"s degree in music in 1992. In 1994, while living in Nashville, Tennessee, Nichols met Mason Cooper and created the band, Eighteen, performing rock music with Jewish themes and Hebrew prayers. Nichols previously worked as a cantorial soloist at Congregation Micah in Brentwood, Tennessee, and also has a background in opera.
Nichols performs at synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Community Centers and Jewish youth camps nationwide.
In 2006, NFTY awarded Nichols its highest honor, Lifetime Membership, in recognition of his years of commitment and outstanding contribution to Reform Jewish youth. In 2008, Nichols and Eighteen performed a live concert for Sirius XM"s Radio Hanukkah Jewish Stars concert series, and a concert at Masada for Israel"s 60th anniversary.
Dan Nichols has also been Rodef Sholom"s artist in residence since 2008. Dan Nichols is the subject of the 2013 documentary film Road to Eden: Rock & Roll Sukkot which follows Dan and his band Eighteen as they travelled in an Recreation Vehicle across the American South during the holiday of Sukkot.
Prior to Eighteen, Nichols was a member of the band Olskies. Since 2001, Nichols has been a faculty member of the annual songleading conference, Hava Nashira in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.