David Nail

David Nail Tough As Nails

May 24, 2008

KEN TUCKER

David Nail, who recorded one album for Mercury Nashville in 2002 and then exited after his producer and head of A&R Keith Stegall departed, has returned to the Universal Music Group Nashville (UMGN) fold with a burgeoning hit. Now on MCA Nashville, Nail's first single in six years, "I'm About to Come Alive," is off and running. The song, which was recorded by Train for its 2003 "My Private Nation" album, is No. 49 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart after three weeks on the tally.

Country KBEQ Kansas City, Mo., PD Mike Kennedy remembers Nail from his Mercury days. "I was a fan of his the first time around," he says. "Now that he is a bit more seasoned, I am even more a fan." Country WPCV Lakeland, Fla., music director Jeni Taylor says, "I was interested in his music but never heard anything about him again, often wondering where he disappeared to over the years."

As for the song itself, Taylor says, "The subject matter was also very powerful and relatable, which is what we all look for in the perfect song."

Missouri native Nail moved to Nashville after high school and scored the Mercury deal not long after. Frustrated with a lack of success, he returned to Missouri, only to return two years later. Still, success did not come. Nail expressed his frustration to friend and UMGN VP of A&R Brian Wright. " 'I don't know if it's for me anymore,' " Nail says he told Wright. " 'I don't know if there's a place for what I'm doing out there.' "

With Wright's encouragement, Nail sought out producer Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert) and the two hit it off. Nail began writing for Liddell's publishing company, Carnival Music, and then went into the studio.

Nail ended up back at Universal. "I didn't know a lot of people over there but I made some really strong relationships with a core few," he says. "I couldn't ever imagine going through that process with another group of people. It would have kind of been like cheating on my wife."

His new album, also titled "I'm About to Come Alive," is tentatively scheduled for a late summer release. "When I first found the song, it had a more literal meaning," Nail says of the tune about a man begging his woman to give him one more chance. "It was very much what I was dealing with at the time." Nail says he hopes the song takes on a new meaning, now that his career is finally taking off.