David Nail

Career David Nail's first recording contract was with Mercury Records Nashville, a division of Universal Music Group Nashville. 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 Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) 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 Nashville, also a division of Universal Music Group Nashville, in April 2007.

The first single was "I'm About to Come Alive", originally recorded by Train on their 2003 album My Private Nation. 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 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's "Someone like You".

I'm a Fire and Fighter (2013–2017) A new single, "Whatever She's Got", 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, which was released on March 4, 2014. It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in February 2014. The second single from the album was announced to be "Kiss You Tonight", co-written by David Cook, an American Idol winner.

On July 20, 2015, David Nail released a new single entitled "Night's on Fire." 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", "In the Air Tonight", and "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)".

In September 2016, the album's second single, "Good at Tonight" featuring Brothers Osborne, 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) 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.

Since the release of Only This And Nothing More, Nail has independently released five EPs and three stand-alone singles. He has consistently toured North America playing for tens of thousands of fans. In March 2025, he joined Vanity Fair to premiere their film Take No Prisoners which he recorded a cover of Bruce Cockburn's "Pacing The Cage" especially for. He announced in late 2025 that he is working with Anderson East who will produce his first full-length album since 2016, Fighter.

Personal life Nail was born and grew up in Kennett, Missouri, where his father was a high school band director. He married longtime girlfriend Catherine Werne on June 6, 2009, in Franklin, Tennessee. On December 12, 2015, Nail and Werne welcomed twins, son Lawson Brent Nail and daughter Lillian Catherine Nail.

Nail participated in the 2010 Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, hitting a home run past the right-field fence in Angel Stadium.

He attended Arkansas State University where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha.

Discography Studio albums Title Album details Peak chartpositions Sales US Country US I'm About to Come Alive Release date: August 18, 2009 Label: MCA Nashville Formats: CD, music download 19 71 The Sound of a Million Dreams Release date: November 15, 2011 Label: MCA Nashville Formats: CD, music download 8 50US: 75,000 I'm a Fire Release date: March 4, 2014 Label: MCA Nashville Formats: CD, music download 3 13US: 91,000 Fighter Release date: July 15, 2016 Label: MCA Nashville Formats: CD, music download 3 26US: 20,100

Extended plays Title Album detailsPeak chartpositions SalesUS (as David Nail and The Well Ravens) Release date: September 14, 2018 Label: One Five Sound Label: One Five Sound Formats: Digital download—— Bootheel 2020 Release date: December 11, 2021 Label: One Five Sound Formats: Digital download—— Bootheel 2021 Release date: November 6, 2021 Label: One Five Sound Formats: Digital download—— Best of Me Release date: June 30, 2023 Label: One Five Sound Formats: Digital download—— A Campfire Christmas Release date: November 1, 2024 Label: One Five Sound Formats: Digital download——

Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) Album US Country US Country Airplay US CAN Country CAN 2002 "Memphis" 52 — — — David Nail (unreleased) 2008 "I'm About to Come Alive"47 — — — I'm About to Come Alive 2009 "Red Light"7 54 38 — US: Platinum 2010 "Turning Home" 20 —A — — 2011 "Let It Rain" 1 51 13 — US: Platinum The Sound of a Million Dreams 2012 "The Sound of a Million Dreams" 38 — — — 2013 "Whatever She's Got" 2 1 35 4 34 US: 3× Platinum I'm a Fire 2014 "Kiss You Tonight" 25 17 —B — — US: Gold 2015 "Night's on Fire" 17 14 81 32 — US: Platinum Fighter 2016 "Good at Tonight" — 52 — — —

A"Turning Home" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 17 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles. B"Kiss You Tonight" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 3 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.

Other charted songs Year Single Peak chartpositions Album US Country 2012 "Someone like You" 52 49 1979 2015 "Broke My Heart" 46 — I'm a Fire "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos Year Video Director 2008 "I'm About to Come Alive" Roman White 2009 "Red Light" "Red Light" (acoustic version) Matt Pfingsten 2010 "Turning Home" Stephen Shepherd 2011 "Let It Rain" Stephen Shepherd/David Nail 2012 "The Sound of a Million Dreams" (acoustic version) Stephen Shepherd "Half Mile Hill" "The Sound of a Million Dreams" "Someone Like You" 2013 "Whatever She's Got" Chris Hicky 2014 "Kiss You Tonight" 2015 "Night's on Fire" Justin Key 2018 "Heavy"2023 "Best of Me"Wales Toney2024 "If I Could Call"Wales Toney

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Result 2010 Academy of Country Music Single Record of the Year — "Red Light" 2011 Grammy Awards Male Country Vocal Performance — "Turning Home" 2013 Academy of Country Music Vocal Event of the Year — "Let It Rain" (with Sarah Buxton)