David Brent Nail (born May 18, 1979) is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
artist, and frontman of the band ''David Nail & The Well Ravens''. In 2002, he debuted the single "Memphis" from an unreleased album for
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
Nashville. Five years later, he signed with
MCA Nashville
Universal Music Group Nashville is Universal Music Group's country music subsidiary. Some of the labels in this group include MCA Nashville Records, Mercury Nashville Records, Lost Highway Records, Capitol Records Nashville and EMI Records Nashv ...
, for which he has released four studio albums: ''
I'm About to Come Alive
''I'm About to Come Alive'' is the debut studio album by American country music singer David Nail. It was released on August 18, 2009 via MCA Nashville. The album, produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke, includes the singles " I'm About to Co ...
'', ''
The Sound of a Million Dreams'', ''
I'm a Fire
"I'm a Fire" is the first single from Donna Summer's seventeenth studio album, '' Crayons''. The song was released on March 11, 2008 by Burgundy Records. It was written by Summer, Sebastian Morton and Al Kasha and produced by Morton. The club ...
'', and ''
Fighter'' plus two
extended plays, ''1979'' and ''Uncovered''. The albums have produced seven chart entries on
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
and
Country Airplay
Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since January 20, 1990.
This chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream country radio stations across the country as monitored ...
, including two that have reached No. 1: "
Let It Rain" (featuring
Sarah Buxton
Sarah Jane Buxton (born July 3, 1980) is an American country music singer, formerly signed to the independent Lyric Street Records. Between 2006 and 2008, she issued three singles from an extended play titled '' Almost My Record'', in addition t ...
) and "
Whatever She's Got
"Whatever She's Got" is a song recorded by American country music artist David Nail. It was released in May 2013 as the first single from Nail's third studio album, ''I'm a Fire''. The album was released on March 4, 2014. The song was written by ...
", plus the top 10 hit "
Red Light".
Musical career
David Nail's first recording contract was with
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
Nashville, a division of
Universal Music Group Nashville
Universal Music Group Nashville is Universal Music Group's country music subsidiary. Some of the labels in this group include MCA Nashville Records, Mercury Nashville Records, Lost Highway Records, Capitol Records Nashville and EMI Records Nashv ...
. While there, he recorded a self-titled debut album, which was produced by
Keith Stegall and John Kelton.
The lead-off single, "Memphis", reached number 52 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
) charts. Deborah Evans Price gave the song a mostly-positive review, calling it a "solid performance" but saying that she considered its storyline implausible. Advance copies of the album were sent to radio stations, but it was not commercially released.
He also sang backing vocals on the track "But I Can't Let You Go" on then-labelmate
Meredith Edwards' 2001 album ''
Reach''.
''I'm About to Come Alive'' and ''The Sound of a Million Dreams'' (2007–2012)
Nail signed to
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...
Nashville, also a division of Universal Music Group Nashville, in April 2007.
His debut album for the label, ''
I'm About to Come Alive
''I'm About to Come Alive'' is the debut studio album by American country music singer David Nail. It was released on August 18, 2009 via MCA Nashville. The album, produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke, includes the singles " I'm About to Co ...
'', was produced by
Frank Liddell
Frank Liddell (born November 13, 1963) is an American record producer. A former artists and repertoire director at Decca Records, he founded Carnival Music in 1999. Liddell is also married to singer Lee Ann Womack, for whom he has produced. O ...
and Mike Wrucke, the same producers who work with
Miranda Lambert
Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country singer and guitarist. Born in Longview, Texas, she started out in early 2001 when she released her self-titled debut album independently. In 2003, she finished in third place o ...
. The album includes a duet with Lambert, co-writes with
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Coun ...
and
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousi ...
' lead singer
Gary LeVox
Gary LeVox (born Gary Wayne Vernon Jr., July 10, 1970) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for being the lead vocalist of the contemporary country music band Rascal Flatts, and his stage name was taken from the studio-console label ...
, and five songs that Nail co-wrote.
The first single was "I'm About to Come Alive", originally recorded by
Train
In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and Passenger train, transport people or Rail freight transport, freight. Trains are typically pul ...
on their 2003 album ''
My Private Nation
''My Private Nation'' is the third studio album by American pop rock band Train. It was released June 3, 2003. The album was reissued February 8, 2005, as a CD+ DVD dual disc set. The album is certified Platinum in the US.
Singles
Four singles we ...
''. Nail's version peaked at number 47 on the country chart. The second single, "
Red Light," entered Top 40 in May 2009 and peaked at number 7. "
Turning Home", which Chesney co-wrote with Scooter Carusoe, was the album's third single, reaching a peak of number 20.
In February 2011, Nail released his fifth single, "
Let It Rain", which featured
Sarah Buxton
Sarah Jane Buxton (born July 3, 1980) is an American country music singer, formerly signed to the independent Lyric Street Records. Between 2006 and 2008, she issued three singles from an extended play titled '' Almost My Record'', in addition t ...
on guest vocals. It served as the lead-off single to his second studio album, ''
The Sound of a Million Dreams'', which was released on November 15, 2011. In January 2012, "Let It Rain" became Nail's first No. 1 hit. The title track was released as the album's second and final single, and reached a peak of number 38 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Nail released a three-track digital EP titled ''1979'' on July 17, 2012. The EP includes a cover of
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
's "
Someone like You".
''I'm a Fire'' and ''Fighter'' (2013–2017)
A new single, "
Whatever She's Got
"Whatever She's Got" is a song recorded by American country music artist David Nail. It was released in May 2013 as the first single from Nail's third studio album, ''I'm a Fire''. The album was released on March 4, 2014. The song was written by ...
", was released to country radio on May 28, 2013. It served as the lead-off single to his third studio album, ''
I'm a Fire
"I'm a Fire" is the first single from Donna Summer's seventeenth studio album, '' Crayons''. The song was released on March 11, 2008 by Burgundy Records. It was written by Summer, Sebastian Morton and Al Kasha and produced by Morton. The club ...
'', which was released on March 4, 2014. It reached number one on the
Country Airplay
Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since January 20, 1990.
This chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream country radio stations across the country as monitored ...
chart in February 2014. The second single from the album was announced to be "
Kiss You Tonight", co-written by
David Cook David Cook may refer to:
Entertainment
* David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR
* David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol''
* David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
, an ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' winner.
On July 20, 2015, David Nail released a new single entitled "
Night's on Fire
"Night's on Fire" is a song recorded by American country music artist David Nail. It was released to radio on July 20, 2015 as the lead single to his fourth studio album ''Fighter (David Nail album), Fighter''. The song was written by Jonathan S ...
." The song peaked at No. 14 on Country Airplay in July 2016, and served as the lead-off single to his fourth studio album ''
Fighter''.
In May 2016 he released an EP of covers titled 'Uncovered'. It included 'In The Ghetto', 'Can't Feel My Face', Phil Collins' 'In The Air Tonight' and Adele's 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)'.
In September 2016, the album's second single, "
Good at Tonight" featuring
Brothers Osborne
Brothers Osborne is an American country music duo consisting of brothers T.J. Osborne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and John Osborne (lead guitar, background vocals). Born in Deale, Maryland, the duo signed a recording contract with EMI Records ...
, was released to country radio. It failed to reach the Top 50 of the country charts and it was announced in early 2017 that David Nail had parted ways with MCA Nashville after 10 years with the label.
''David Nail and The Well Ravens'' (2018–present)
In July 2018, Nail announced a new project as the frontman of the band ''David Nail & The Well Ravens''. The band's first album titled ''Only This And Nothing More'', was independently released on September 14, 2018.
Personal life
Nail was born and grew up in
Kennett, Missouri
Kennett is a city in and the county seat of Dunklin County, Missouri, United States. The city is located in the southeast corner (or " Bootheel") of Missouri, east of Arkansas and from the Mississippi River. It has a population of 10,932 accor ...
, where his father was a high
school band
A school band is a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music together. A concert band is usually under the direction of one or more conductors (band directors). A school band consists of woodwind instruments, brass ...
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
. He married longtime girlfriend Catherine Werne on June 6, 2009, in
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...
. On December 12, 2015, Nail and Werne welcomed twins, son Lawson Brent Nail and daughter Lillian Catherine Nail.
They welcomed a baby girl, Ellie Britton, in 2020.
Nail participated in the 2010
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, includi ...
All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, hitting a home run past the right-field fence in
Angel Stadium
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California. Since its opening in 1966, it has served as the home ballpark of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), and was also the home stadium to the Los An ...
.
He attended
Arkansas State University
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osa ...
where he was a member of
Pi Kappa Alpha.
/ref>
He is an avid fan of the MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
's St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
and sang "God Bless America
"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin during World War I in 1918 and revised by him in the run up to World War II in 1938. The later version was notably recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature s ...
" during Game 7 of the Cardinals' 2011 World Series game versus the Texas Rangers.
He sang the National Anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
at the Mizzou Tigers
The Missouri Tigers intercollegiate athletics programs represent the University of Missouri, located in Columbia. The name comes from a band of armed Union Home Guards called the Fighting Tigers of Columbia who, in 1864, protected Columbia fro ...
2012 homecoming football game versus the University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
*A"Turning Home" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 17 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
.
*B"Kiss You Tonight" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 3 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
Other charted songs
Music videos
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nail, David
1979 births
Living people
People from Kennett, Missouri
American country singer-songwriters
MCA Records artists
Singer-songwriters from Missouri
Mercury Records artists
Country musicians from Missouri
21st-century American singers