The Short Version
Hailing from Winston-Salem, NC, Tyler Nail is a dynamic Americana songwriter whose work captures the essence of North Carolina’s rich cultural tapestry. His songs deliver rich stories with colorful clarity. His raspy, textured voice, thick Appalachian accent, and distinctive two-finger picking style set his performance apart with notable distinction. Nail’s technique weaves complex guitar melodies seamlessly with his dramatic vocal delivery.
At 19, he began playing gigs in modest venues, including a Taco Bell in King, NC. He released his debut LP, Winter to Winter, in 2012. He followed this release with notable projects like When I Go Away – A Tribute to Levon Helm, and his acclaimed LPs Feathers (2014) and Under Evergreens (2016). In 2019, Nail released Life Lessons, an ambitious double album showcasing his rock chops, and in 2021, he explored darker themes with his DEVIL EP. His newest album, Family, is his most acoustic and pure Americana work yet, paying tribute to the people and places that shaped him and nurtured his artistic voice.
Ear to the Ground Music praised Nail as “an accomplished singer-songwriter with a well-rounded Americana flavor... unpretentious, just like Americana ought to be.” Aldora Britain Records called him “a key player” in North Carolina’s storied heritage of singer-songwriters. Drawing on Appalachian traditions, the rugged beauty of his home state, and the universal themes of family and resilience, Tyler Nail embodies the heart of Americana. His songs are snapshots of a life deeply tied to place, tradition, and meaningful moments.
"North Carolina is a Mecca of troubadouring singer-songwriter brilliance... Tyler Nail is undoubtedly a key player in the current chapter of this storied heritage."
-Aldora Britain Records
"Tyler Nail is an accomplished singer-songwriter with a well-rounded Americana flavor... His writing is comfortable and unpretentious, just like Americana ought to be."
-Ear to the Ground Music
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The Long Version
Tyler Nail is a wiry figure with a dark, prominent beard. He marches around club stages like he can’t bear to stand still. His voice is rough, loud, and unmistakably Southern. Playing two-finger style guitar, he weaves intricate parts that carry rhythm and melody all at once. His songs are cinematic, built on vivid imagery and deep storytelling, digging into love, life, and loss.
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Nail’s story began in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a city built on tobacco, now decorated with old brick factories. He grew up in a log cabin his grandfather built, surrounded by pine trees and red clay. His mother sang in the church choir. His father played drums. As a boy, he banged out drum patterns on pots and pillows. It was here that Nail discovered music.
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At sixteen, he picked up his first guitar and started writing songs—not polished or pretty, but earnest. He wasn’t a natural singer. His early recordings were rough. But he kept at it, playing open mics and bars, learning his voice.
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From 17 to 21, music consumed him. He gained his first fans in a coffee shop in King, NC, and more in the clubs of Winston-Salem. He started playing in a local competition called the Winston-Salem Shuffle, where he became its most frequent winner. By 2011, he released his first proper album, Winter to Winter. The next year, he produced When I Go Away: A Tribute to Levon Helm, cementing his place in the local scene.
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Over the years, Nail released more albums, shared stages with Americana staples like The Hackensaw Boys and American Aquarium, and toured the country with his band, The Tyler Nail Trio. But in 2016, the road came to an end. He stopped touring, and the band disbanded. Nail stayed in North Carolina, releasing music quietly until 2019, when his double album Life Lessons marked a darker chapter in his artistry.
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The pandemic tested his resolve but reignited his craft. His 2020 single “I Don’t Wanna Die Alone” spoke to a renewed dedication to songwriting, and to life. In 2021, his DEVIL EP hinted at a fresh fire burning in his work.
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In 2023, after years of rebuilding and soul-searching, Nail left North Carolina. He moved to Providence, Rhode Island, a snowy city far from the Carolina foothills, to seek new inspiration. In Providence, he worked aggressively on music, sharing songs through Patreon and YouTube while expanding his creative team. In 2024, he recorded Family, an album honoring his North Carolina roots, capturing the warmth and weight of home from afar.
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Tyler Nail’s catalog includes nearly 300 songs. The Southern recluse-turned-wanderer writes with wisdom and craftsmanship, earning accolades along the way: winner of "Best Country Artist" at the Forsyth Entertainment Awards (2019), semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition and American Songwriter Road-Ready Contest (2024), and voted in the top 5 songwriters of the Piedmont Triad for multiple years.
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From his humble beginnings in his grandfather's cabin to the music clubs of Winston-Salem to the snowy streets of Providence, Nail's story is one of grit and transformation. He is a Southern songwriter, a craftsman, and a heavy-hitting Americana artist.