Daniel Nichols is a Jewish rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 musician and founder of the band, E18hteen.

Biography

Dan Nichols was born in 1969 in Indiana. He attended Pike Township Schools in Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

. He and his parents converted to Judaism when he was 7, and he attended Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation

Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation

The Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the oldest synagogue in Indianapolis. -History:...

 and camped at Goldman Union in Zionsville, Indiana

Zionsville, Indiana

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,775 people, 3,063 households, and 2,407 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,512.9 people per square mile . There were 3,169 housing units at an average density of 546.4 per square mile...

. He lives in Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

, North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 with his wife Elysha. Nichols is an alum of the University of North Carolina

University of North Carolina

Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...

 where he received a bachelor's degree in music in 1992.

Music career

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. Prior to Eighteen, Nichols was a member of the band Olskies. Nichols previously worked as a cantorial soloist at Congregation Micah in Brentwood, Tennessee

Brentwood, Tennessee

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,445 people, 7,693 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,889 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% European American, 1.89% African American,...

, and also has a background in opera. Nichols performs at synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Community Center

Jewish Community Center

A Jewish Community Center or Jewish Community Centre is a general recreational, social and fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities...

s and Jewish youth camps nationwide. His work has been recognized by the Union for Reform Judaism

Union for Reform Judaism

The Union for Reform Judaism , formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations , is an organization which supports Reform Jewish congregations in North America. The current President is Rabbi Eric H...

 and North American Federation of Temple Youth

North American Federation of Temple Youth

The North American Federation of Temple Youth is the organized youth movement of Reform Judaism in North America. Funded and supported by the Union for Reform Judaism, NFTY exists to supplement and support Reform youth groups at the synagogue level...

 who have featured him as an artist at Biennials and Conventions, and included his music on their Ruach compilation albums and songbooks. 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

Masada

Masada is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel, on top of an isolated rock plateau, or horst, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Masada is best known for the violence that occurred there in the first century CE...

 for Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

's 60th anniversary. Dan Nichols has also been Rodef Sholom's artist in residence since 2008.

Discography

• Life (1996)
• The Day After Tomorrow (1997)
• Be Strong (2001)
• Kol HaShabbat (2002)
• My Heart is in the East (2004)
• The Roots (2008)
• To the Mountains (2009)

Compilations

Greatest Hits

• 18 on 18 (2010)

NFTY Compilations

• "L'takein (The Na Na Song)" appears on Ruach 5761
• "Pitchu Li" and "Kehillah Kedoshah" appear on Ruach 5763
• "My Heart is in the East" appears on Ruach 5765
• "Hashkiveinu" and "LeDor VaDor" appear on Ruach 5767
• "Or Chadash" and "Esai Einei" appear on Ruach 5769
• "Sweet as Honey" and "Hoshiah" appear on Ruach 5771