A country artist with an agile voice, a gift for songwriting, and a passionate performing style, David Nail was born in Kennett, Missouri on May 18, 1979. Music was a major part of the Nail household — his father was a high school band director proficient on a number of instruments, and his mother sang in the church choir. His parents had an extensive and eclectic record collection, but country music wasn’t on Nail’s radar until he was 14 and attended a school talent show. One of the entrants sang a version of Travis Tritt’s “Anymore,” and Nail was so taken with the song he immediately asked his folks to buy him a copy of Tritt’s recording. In high school, Nail sang in the school’s choir, appeared in local talent shows, and began writing songs, but he was also a fine baseball player with a .385 batting average, and he was accepted at Aquinas College on a sports scholarship. However, a shoulder injury ended his baseball career during his first college season, and Nail returned home to sort out his options. He resumed his education at Arkansas State University, but when he was 20, he spent a few days in Nashville and was inspired to take another shot at a career in music. He moved to Music City, concentrated on his songwriting, and was playing a few songs at a party when, as luck would have it, he was heard by the daughter of record producer Keith Stegall. She told her father that Nail was a talent worth hearing, and before long the singer and songwriter was signed to a contract with Mercury Records.