David Nail

BOOT BARN HALL - GAINESVILLE

Doors 5:00PM  l  Music 7:00PM

Ages 14+

David Nail’s candor cuts like a laser through star-making propriety, a ritual of predictable answers to predictable questions, recited by artists averse to the controversy that truth can bring.

True, he is respected up and down and beyond Music Row. He’s written or co-written multiple hits. Critics laud his singing too: The late, revered Chuck Dauphin, for one, marveled at Nail’s ability to turn an “ordinary lyric and arrangement” into a “tour de force,” adding, “simply put … he is not one of us.”

So he’s got rock-solid credentials. And he earned them despite a refusal to present himself in a false light. His songs pull no punches in evoking the demons with which he has wrestled through much of his life. As Nail explains, it’s not so much an act of courage to write about depression and its effects. Rather, it is simply who he is; he says, in conversation and through music, what he must say.

In Nail’s own words, “My philosophy has always been, I just hope to have a good enough year that I can have a next year while staying as true to myself as I possibly can.”

Opening Performance by Karissa Ella

Karissa Ella is a breath of fresh air in today’s world of country music, and she’s been recognized for it by CMT, Taste of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, and countless more media outlets. Inspired by the likes of Shania Twain, Gretchen Wilson, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, her music and writing are a reflection of those who came before her. Her live performances at places like the ACM-nominated Dusty Armadillo attract audiences of all ages, but they keep coming back for her infectious personality and genuine songwriting. An Ohio native, Ella has consistently released new music with heavy press and streaming support since graduating from Belmont University in 2018, starting with a self-titled EP and her second EP, Blossom. In 2021, she put out The Acoustic Sessions – an EP of four classic country song covers – as well as the original singles “Bad Summer” and “Crackin’ Cold Ones” and rounded out the year on the road with GRAMMY-nominated country star David Nail on his Bootheel 2021 Tour. Ella had another prolific year in 2022, marked by the release of several singles – including “Hometown Bar” featured on PEOPLE.com and “Whiskey Whispers Your Name” featured on Sounds Like Nashville – as well as a special performance of "He Walked on Water" for Randy Travis himself at the Country Rebel Ranch. Ella’s third EP. It’s Personal released on June 23. To stay up to date with new music and tour dates, visit karissaella.com.

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