David Mead

David Mead first saw the light of day in New York before his family shifted residence to Nashville, the setting for most of his early development. During those years he sharpened his abilities by performing in pop outfits that included Verdant Green, Blue Million, and Joe, Marc's Brother. Eventually he stepped forward as a solo artist and teamed with local keyboardist Jason Lehning to prepare a demonstration recording of his material. That tape opened doors at RCA Records, where he presented his songs in a stripped-down guitar-and-voice format. The label extended a contract soon afterward.

At twenty-five Mead received substantial creative latitude for his 1999 RCA debut, The Luxury of Time, working alongside Lehning as associate producer and Peter Collins, whose résumé already featured Jewel and Brian Setzer. The finished album contains meticulously shaped songs that draw from the legacies of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Lennon and McCartney, and Paul Simon yet never feel derivative or stale. Having relocated once more to New York around the time of that first album, Mead later credited his Nashville period with both his maturation as a songwriter and his lasting respect for the classic three-minute pop song.

The follow-up, Mine and Yours, reached stores in early 2001. Three years afterward came Indiana, his initial release on Nettwerk. For 2005’s Wherever You Are he enlisted veteran producer Stephen Hague, known for his work with Pet Shop Boys, New Order, and Peter Gabriel. North American tour dates were scheduled to coincide with the spring 2006 appearance of Tangerine.