David Nail

While people think of Grammy-nominated country vocalist David Nail as a singer’s singer, it’s easy to forget that he’s also a compelling songwriter. The folks at Music Row didn’t miss that fact; announcing their annual Awards nominees, David Nail’s history-making #1 “Let It Rain” placed him among the nominees for their Breakthrough Songwriter Award. 

“There are so many great songwriters in this town,” says the taciturn man with the pair of gold downloads for “Let It Rain” and “Red Light,” his breakout single. “To me, as a singer, I just want to try to honor what the writers create – and as someone who’s trying to write songs, I just hope I can stand in their company and not embarrass myself.”

Taking 48 weeks to reach the top of the country radio charts, “Let It Rain” became the longest rising chart-topper in history. A song of straying and consequence, it built slow but endured as people responded to the gritty truth of the song’s very grown-up message.

The Los Angeles Times praised his “songs that chip away at loss, regret, missteps and other human failings, grist for the richest life lessons… Nail seems eager to take on real life.” Billboard offered the more succinct, “Stunning. A master story teller…,” while the Associated Press opined, “At a time when country overflows with macho bluster and vocal overkill, Nail is a restrained romantic.”

“Let It Rain” was also one of Amazon.com’s Top 10 Country Songs of 2011.

Currently enjoying the final days of a tour with Billy Currington and Kip Moore, Nail’s nomination comes during a magical 12 months. In addition to singing at the 7^th game of the World Series, where his home team Cardinals took it all, the Kennett, Missourian was asked to take part in an elite performance series at the Sundance Film Festival, sold out headlining Midwestern and Southern tours, sang “Let It Rain” on “The Tonight Show” the week it was #1, hit the road with Gavin DeGraw, and is now watching the title track to The Sound of a Million Dreams climb the charts.

“The thing I love about ‘The Sound of a Million Dreams’ is the way it’s all about how powerful songs are… the way they hold your life for you, so when you hear them, you’re right back there,” Nail says. “To me, that was everything we were trying to do with ‘Let It Rain.’ How would it be if you were ever in that position: having to admit you’d done something wrong, then facing the consequences? How would that feel? How do you capture that? This nomination makes me feel like… maybe… we did.”