David Nail’s ‘A Campfire Christmas’

On Nov. 1, 2024, hit singer-songwriter David Nail released his first holiday-themed project, “A Campfire Christmas.” The EP (extended play) record is shorter than a full-length album and features five popular tunes like “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells.” Now, the country artist is set to embark on a tour showcasing the music from this holiday release.
Over the course of Nail’s career, his wife has asked him to record two different projects: a gospel album and a Christmas album. Feeling that a holiday-themed record might not fit his musical style, he always thought the gospel album would come first. However, during a gathering one evening close to the holidays, he was asked to play a few songs. He sat down with his guitar player Peter Ferguson and began singing a few select Christmas carols. Much to his surprise, he had a Christmas record in the works even though he hadn’t yet recorded a gospel album for Catherine.
In an interview with The Epoch Times, he talked about his hesitation to record a holiday-themed project and the memorable night when that all changed:
“I feel like Christmas albums are so unique. … The artists that have been successful doing them are all very unique artists who sort of fit … the Christmas spirit. It’s in their repertoire, and I didn’t necessarily think that it was something that I could pull off, so I purposely stayed away from it.”
He continued:
“This past Christmas, my wife threw a party for a friend of ours. She asked if I would sing a couple of songs … and I did it with just me and my guitar player Peter Ferguson. Literally, after the first song I looked at him … and I said, ‘You know what? This is kind of fun.’”
What he had in mind was different from many of the commercial Christmas recordings played each winter. As he discussed the concept with those who’d be working on the project with him, a more intimate, streamlined vision took shape:
“What I had in mind, what I envisioned … [is] literally two guitarists sitting around a campfire singing Christmas songs. That’s exactly what it is. It’s a campfire Christmas.”
Nail is a confessed traditionalist when it comes to Christmas songs. For his EP, he wanted a pared-down approach. “A Campfire Christmas” features gentle instrumentation that allows for his voice to soar and get right to the heart of the song. He knew that would be the only way the recordings would feel authentic.
He knew he was on the right track when Catherine took the EP on a road trip to meet up with a good friend. When she returned, she had an update for him:
“She came back and said that she and her college best friend … put on the EP…and just sort of let it replay … over and over for a couple of hours. And she was like, ‘It’s really tasteful. … We just found ourselves … forgetting how many times we’d heard [the] songs.’”
Her feedback helped David put into words the reason he recorded “A Campfire Christmas.” He wanted to create a fresh take on some of his favorite holiday classics while helping cultivate the spirit of Christmas for those who celebrate.
While choosing the lead single for the EP, Nail was especially keen on the classic ballad “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” He explained the personal meaning behind the song, which helped fuel his choice to make it the lead single for “A Campfire Christmas”:
“Having traveled so much over the course of my career—especially in the early days—my family was always very eager to … find out … ‘Are you gonna be able to come home for Christmas?’ I was fortunate enough to never miss a holiday, especially when my grandparents were still alive, which was something that was very important to me. And even when [Catherine and I] got married, we always made it a point to do both families, both cities. Family has always been very important to me.”
He continued:
“I just love the message behind that [song]. You know ‘I’ll be home for Christmas. You can count on me.’”
As he promoted “A Campfire Christmas” and its upcoming tour, he reminisced about some of his favorite childhood Christmas memories. One of his earliest recollections involves an accidental peek at presents underneath the tree. When he was 5 or 6 years old, he got up to use the bathroom and saw a shiny, green helmet under the Christmas tree.
“I certainly wasn’t trying to peek … but with the way the Christmas tree [was] positioned through our little hallway, … you had to catch a glimpse. I remember just seeing this green football helmet and so I went to get a closer look, and it was a New York Jets football uniform.”
While chatting about another “A Campfire Christmas” track “Silent Night,” he revealed a favorite Christmastime memory involving the moving tune and an annual church performance:
Nail enjoys being on the road and sharing his music with his dedicated fan base. He also enjoys his days at home. These days, when he’s not on the road he loves spending quality time with his children. He’s also been getting back to what caused him to fall in love with music in the first place—writing songs in those quiet moments alone:
“I just enjoy making music. I feel like I’m as creative as I’ve ever been.”
“I’ve got the baby to myself today, [and] I’ve been sneaking off into my office and just playing guitar. I mean, it’s just who I am. It’s what I’ve done for so many years. [I’m] gonna keep doing it as long as they let me.”