Throughout his career, Joe Nichols has been able to successfully navigate the mainstream country music waters. In his time with Universal South/Show Dog-Universal, Joe's released enough hits to have a Greatest Hits album released early last year ( a collection that is missing the top 10 hit "If Nobody Believed In You" and three other hits in "Another Side of You," "She Only Smokes When She Drinks," and "Believers").  Joe released It's All Good in late 2011 and while it featured the Top 25 hit "Take It Off" (and Joe's version of the Top 15 Craig Morgan hit "This Ole Boy"), there wasn't any sort of consensus about what single to follow-up "Take It Off." This has meant that Joe's career with Show Dog-Univesal has amicably come to an end with the artist and label parting ways after a decade together (in various tenures of label management). 

Joe seems to be happy about the news tweeting:

I'd like to thank ShowDog universal for doing the right thing. IM FREE!!!!!

— Joe Nichols (@JoeNichols) May 20, 2012

He also tweeted this:

My plans are to make a record with people I trust and love and be at a happy home(label). Haven't feel this good about things in a long time

— Joe Nichols (@JoeNichols) May 20, 2012

And then to clear up some fan's reactions to a 'bad label,' he said this:

Just 2 be clear, I'm VERY thankful 4 showdog and what they have done 4 me. Our relationship has just reached its limits and I wish them luck

— Joe Nichols (@JoeNichols) May 20, 2012

Joe remained classy throughout his discussion of the release from the label and clearly just wanted to make fans know that he's excited about the ability to start the next chapter of his career.  On a side note, here are some of his accolades, three #1 hits ("Brokenheartsville," "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Gimmie That Girl"). Five more Top 10 hits ("The Impossible", "If Nobody Believed In You," "What's A Guy Gotta Do," "Size Matters (Some Day)", and "I'll Wait For You." "Believers is his lowest-charting hit (peak of 26) of the 10 past years (he released one record as a 19/20 year old for the small Intersound label in 1996 that didn't fare too well).  Joe has sold over three million albums and his MAn With A Memory album was certified Platinum while III was certified gold. His singles "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Gimmie That Girl" are both Gold-selling digital tracks as well.

What do you think? Will he find another big label or successful indie label to record his brand of traditionalist country music? Or is Joe's chapter as a successful mainstream country music artist over?