Kentucky Bred David Tucker tells us about getting his feet wet in music city and the exciting progress he has made so far.

Derek Pastore
Staff Writer

Young and talented David Tucker talks about kick starting his career with a move to Nashville, his experiences in the industry so far, and gives us the details on a new role we can watch him in. Get to know one of our favorite people we have encountered.

Raised Rowdy: You recently played Whiskey Jam for the first time. Tell us a little bit about that experience and what Whiskey Jam means to you.

David Tucker:  I learned about Whiskey Jam when Ward had a touring show last summer and I saw it at the Kentucky State Fair. Then, after I moved to Nashville, Whiskey Jam was the First event I was ever asked to perform at. It was a thrill and such a wonderful experience to play in front of so many great singers, songwriters and musicians. Whiskey jam is a place entirely full of music and is such a terrific opportunity for all people to connect and to help each other in the music world. And, you never who you just might run into.

RR: Congrats on releasing your debut album Kentucky Bred in 2017. Give us some insight into the process and what you learned from it.

DT: The process to making this album was one of the most amazing memories in my life. Writing so many great songs with different writers and watching them come to life one by one. I was privileged to work with so many amazing musicians on this project. It taught me so much as a musician, a songwriter, and as an artist. I recorded at Sound Emporium with a terrific producer named Chad Carlson. He put together a band of some of Nashville’s best musicians – and that was my introduction to recording my first album!

RR: Tell us about the process of picking a song to release. Who do you lean on to help with this?

DT: When I choose songs to release I always try to lean on as many people as possible and ask for their opinions. After all, they are the best judge for what I write and sing.

RR: Tell us about your decision to move to Nashville. What lead up to it and how did you make your first connections in the music industry?

DT: I wrote a song called “Kentucky Bred” about being from the great bluegrass state of Kentucky. I traveled to every single radio station (over 300) in Kentucky and gave them a copy of my song “Kentucky Bred” and asked them to play it on their station. As I began to get a great following from my home state, I knew Nashville was the place where I needed to be to continue growing in my music career.

I made my first connections in the music industry when I was singing at my high school graduation, and Nick & Nina Clooney (George Clooney’s parents) were in the audience. After they heard my song, the contacted a manager that they knew in Los Angeles, California and that’s how it started.

RR: We have seen your impressive skills playing guitar. Are there any other instruments that you can play as well, and what’s your favorite?

DT: Yes! Other than the guitar, I also play the Drums, Bass, Keyboard, and the Saxophone. My favorite instrument would hands down be the guitar. The guitar is like second nature to me. Its where I find myself through sad and happy moments in life. It’s with me almost everywhere I go!

RR: You have a great story about a trip to Nashville that you made before moving there. Fill in our audience on that.

DT: I came to Nashville for the first time when I was 18 years old during CMA fest. I was walking on Broadway as I started talking to someone in the street about one of the big stages that was presented by Martin Guitars. There were a few different people performing on it and I told the guy I wish I could play on one of the stages down here. He told me that he could make that happen. Sure enough a few minutes later, he handed me a guitar and I walked up on the stage and performed a song I wrote called “I Hate to Say Goodbye”, about 5 hours later, when I was in my car, I received a phone call from a random number. When I answered the phone, they told me I had won the Martin Guitar Open Mic contest. The crazy thing is that I had no idea it was a contest. Martin Guitars presented me with a beautiful brand new acoustic guitar (LX1 Little Martin). It made my first trip to Nashville feel like a dream come true.

RR: Now that you are a resident, what is your favorite thing to do in music city, and where is your favorite place to see a live performance?

DT: My favorite thing to do in Nashville is going to all the different live music venues. Some of my favorites are, winners, The Listening room, Exit Inn and of course the center of Country Music – going to the Ryman.

RR: You have a lead role in a new Bobby Bare video “I Drink”. How did this come to fruition, and is this your first acting experience?

DT: I was fortunate to get a call from my friend Zach Farnum, who was working on the project. And he had asked me to come down and meet the director. It was my first professional acting job and I hope there are many more!

RR: So tell us about your songwriting process. Do you have other artists you have been writing with?

DT: When songwriting, I really try to dig deep and write the stories and real-life situations that so many people can connect and relate to. I really love collaborating with other writers/Artists. I connect with as many as I can and try to write in a variety of styles and with collaborators with different perspectives and experience. Every time I work with someone new, it is an education for me.

Much appreciation to David for taking the time to welcome fans into his progressions as a young artist. We know the future is bright for this kid, and am happy to call him a great friend. You will definitely see David around town at the aforementioned venues (we can’t show up without having him tap on our shoulders) so make sure to say hello, as he is one of the most kind, down to earth artists you will ever talk to. You can instantly see that this young man was raised right, and his family should be proud.

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