Artist Overview: Country Singer David Nail
Hit-Country Newcomer Rising on the Music Charts with Debut CD
Oct 17, 2009
Country newcomer David Nail has a lot of things going for him these days, including a debut album for MCA Records, I’m About to Come Alive, and a freshman single, the No. 13-ranked Red Light, that happens to be a favorite country song of Taylor Swift, according to one of her Twitter posts.
Although the Missouri-born Nail released his current major-label debut only a few weeks ago; namely, Aug. 18, 2009, already he's rapidly found a burgeoning base of country fans and quick acceptance at country radio with the 11-song CD and its top-ranked Red Light track, which was penned by Melissa Peirce, Dennis Matkosky and Jonathan Singleton, the latter of whom is working on his own solo career these days.
Late-Blooming Singer-Songwriter Transitions from College Sports to Country Music
Nail, the son of a one-time high-school band director, grew up thinking his future, at least through college, would involve sports—something he grew up loving. He enjoyed music, sure, but earlier in life his record collection was far from full of country albums. Instead, he leaned toward other genres and music-makers such as Elton John, the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, with the former being a primary influence.
“I was definitely more into sports growing up,” the Midwest native said in his artist biography from MCA. “I think I was expected to play in college, but as I grew older I became more interested in music. After my senior year, I had a few small college offers to play baseball. My coach came to me and said ‘David, you need to decide where you’re going to school,’ and out of the blue I just said, ‘Do you know anybody in Nashville?’”
David Nail: From Pop & Soul Music to Finding Inspiration in Country Music's History
Country music, at the time, was a newer discovery for Nail during the early ‘90s, which was a time when an Oklahoman named Garth Brooks burst onto the country scene to become a musical icon. Nail, however, beyond jumping on the popularity that country music was experiencing at the time, found himself interested in following its roots back a few decades; specifically, to the late 1960s and ‘70s. And when he did that, he encountered the music of Glen Campbell—who, like his initial favorites, melody kings John, the Fab Four and Wonder—became one of his all-time favorites.
“I feel like regardless of where you grew up, city, small town, east coast, west coast or whatever, there’s something in this music that you can relate to,” he says in his record company’s bio. “They might not all be exactly the same, but everyone has those moments; the first time you left home, falling in love, losing love. That’s what moves me, what I can dig into.”
Aspiring Country Star Takes His Music Dreams to Nashville
Fresh out of high school, the small-town singer made his way to Music City to pursue his country-music calling, but not unlike many before him, he retreated to the familiarity of home within the first year, not sure how to make it in the competitive music business. Ultimately, he returned to Nashville, but again, like countless others in pursuit of the same dream, he found himself frustrated with the seemingly immobile state of his dream to be a viable recording artist.
Returning to what he knew, Nail devoted two summers, 2005 and 2006, to assisting a college pal coach the Twitty City Knights, a select group of some of Nashville’s best baseball talent. It was a much-welcomed distraction for the aspiring singer-songwriter and a break from his seemingly stagnant country career.
Baseball Break Leads Singer Back to Path of Hit-Country Music
“I did it just to get away from the reality of what my career had become at that time, and it was being around those kids that recharged my batteries,” shared Nail via his bio. “It reminded me how free and easy life is at 17 and 18 years old and how truly blessed I’d been, both growing up, and now, being able to chase my dream. I will forever look back on that time and those kids for getting me back on track.”
Not long after his second summer devoted to working with the young baseball players, the singer-songwriter made the life-changing connections within the Nashville music scene that ultimately led to his contract with MCA Nashville and his freshman major-label offering, an 11-song effort on which Nail co-wrote five tunes, including Turning Home with modern-day country superstar Kenny Chesney and songwriter Scooter Carusoe.
Regarding his I’m About to Come Alive, Nail explains in his bio, “I wanted to take something from the people who’ve inspired me, but also put myself in there, and just make something I could be proud of. It’s definitely a moody record, there’s definitely going to be some heartbreak in there, definitely going to be some dark times. But there’s music you listen to when you’re feeling good, and music you listen to when you’re down and out, and I think this is a record that satisfies both needs.”
New Country Music Artist's Album Bridges Gap Between Country & Soul
On his piano-laden country debut, Nail’s music runs the gamut of emotion, from depression—something he contended with for a couple years while trying to get his big career break—to the perpetual search for a happy ending. In turn, his inaugural CD was, by design, crafted to bridge the gap between traditional country and the soulful stylings of some of the music he grew up loving, including that of Lionel Ritchie and Ray Charles.
“People ask me all the time how I’d describe my music,” Nail said in an August 2009 media statement, “and I say, ‘Well, I hope it’s good.’ Hopefully people will just enjoy it for being good music and take from it whatever it makes them feel. … I’m still growing as both a person and artist, and will hopefully continue getting better in regards to both.”
 |
 |
 |
