Hailing from Kennett, Missouri, David Nail is well-respected up and down Music Row. Some might even call him a “tour de force” as his songs pull no punches in evoking the demons with which he has wrestled through much of his life.
The GRAMMY-nominated multi-platinum singer/songwriter’s early releases, I’m About To Come Alive, The Sound Of A Million Dreams, I’m A Fire and Fighter, ignited his reputation as an innovator and creative risk-taker yet left Nail feeling restless. This led to the departure of the only record company home he’d ever known, MCA Nashville, where he’d formed friendships that endure even now.
Through dealing with his own journey of mental health and the feeling of needing to “rebel against what people expect you to be,” Nail began making his most “organic” work to date, David Nail & The Well Ravens, with Jason Hall and Andrew Petroff. That project liberated Nail and propelled him into his next adventure.
Writing solo for the next few months led to his debut solo independent EP Oh, Mother, a reflective piece of work. Of the title track, Rolling Stone noted that “the song creeps in like a sunrise — quiet, restrained cello and keys are the only underpinning for Nail’s powerful vocals at first. But then it slowly builds to something more massive and majestic.”
That release was followed by Bootheel 2020 and Bootheel 2021, projects dedicated to the singer/songwriter’s hometown in the “bootheel” of Missouri. Nail released an EP titled Best of Me in 2023, and the title track has seen heavy press support and country radio airplay.
2024 brought more touring than ever, two great single releases — “If I Could Call” and “Why” featuring Aubrie Sellers. Nail plans on releasing the start of an excitingly different and elevated album project this year, leaving behind any self-imposed restrictions.
In Nail’s own words, “My philosophy has always been, I just hope to have a good enough year that I can have a next year while staying as true to myself as I possibly can.”
