David Nail ready to hit Iowa City stage

Nothing has ever been calculated about David Nail. When the country singer/songwriter crafts a song, the charts are never a consideration.

“Everything I do is organic,” Nail said while calling from his Missouri home. “I never know where stuff is going to go. I wrote with a guy yesterday and I can’t even remember his last name. We never met before, but our session was real productive. I didn’t know where it would go but it turned out great. I trust my gut.”

Nail, 44, wasn't sure about his David Nail and the Well Ravens collaboration. However, he went with his intuition when the group recorded “Only This And Nothing More,” released in 2018.

“The Ravens record was just a couple of guys messing around and I chased it,” Nail said. “It was different and I think some people might have thought I lost my mind, but I wrote some songs and I’m glad I did it. I didn’t want to wake up at 50 and be bummed out that I didn’t make that album.”

Nail, who will perform Nov. 30 at the Wildwood Saloon in Iowa City, flourishes when he is the primary songwriter. “Bootheel 2020” and “Bootheel 2021,” written and recorded in 2021, is an example of Nail in control. He’s impressive as a wordsmith, who also writes melodic gems.

“I’ve always liked to write songs,” he said. “I do like to write (on my own), but I can write with other people.”

Nail has had success going the traditional Nashville route with a team of co-writers. That’s how it was when he recorded 2009’s “I’m About to Come Alive,” 2011’s “The Sound of a Million Dreams,” 2014’s “I’m a Fire” and 2016’s “Fighter.”

“I’ll never complain about those albums, since I had great co-writers,” he said. “They let me be myself. They supported what I wanted to write. But the reality about the music business in that situation is that you’re always waiting for another writer to come up with something.”

It worked out for Nail. He hit the top of the charts with the infectious single “Let It Rain” a decade ago. He also earned radio play with “Whatever She’s Got” and a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.”

It’s been seven years since Nail has recorded an album, but he’s released three EPs since 2016.

“I think I’m just going to go with EPs from now on,” he said. “The EPs fit me better and they’re not as expensive, which is a consideration for an independent recording artist.”

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Iowa connections

Nail will perform songs from throughout his vast canon in Iowa City. The Hawkeye state is like a second home to Nail, who has played there often.

“I remember early on in my career I played Iowa eight times in one year,” he said. “I remember saying, ‘Are there eight cities to play in Iowa?’ It seemed like every weekend I was playing Iowa that year. I’m not complaining. The fans are great there.

“The only negative I have to say about playing Iowa was when I was playing a festival there many years ago. I was on a bill with Luke Bryan. The sky was looking gnarly. My set was pulled out from under me four songs into it. They hurried all of us off the stage and took us to a hotel. The next day we were in Winnipeg and I said to Luke, ‘Man, that was like being in a movie.’ I was super mad since I lost my set.”

Nail doesn’t get angry anymore, now that he’s turned into a mellow, married father of three children.

“Parenthood changes you,” he said. “I’ve grown up and my music has changed, and that’s a good thing.”