Artist Spotlight: Will Dailey

When I first found the courage to regularly play guitar in public, I discovered a nice little spot over in Brighton, Massachusetts. Open mics were held weekly in the basement of a sports bar/restaurant named Roggies, and one of the musicians who captivated and sparked my interest in guitar was Will Dailey.

At the time, around 2003, Will was the MC for these open mic nights, and it was an absolute delight to hear him perform so many original tunes. He also had developed some amazing versions of cover tunes, especially on his acoustic guitar. At times, there were only a small number of people in attendance, so I had an opportunity to listen to some Will's classic songs such as "Rise" and "Yesterday's Gone" in a pretty intimate setting.

I loved Will's songs so much and told all of my friends to check him out, as well as support me when I played at these open mics at Roggies. Will was also gracious enough to ask me to be a featured performer during one of the nights and it was a very memorable experience to invite friends and family come to hear me play some original and cover songs on my acoustic guitar.

In time, Will came out with a number of new albums and was signed to CBS records. However, he has recently gone the independent route and used PledgeMusic to crowd fund his new album, "National Throat". My current favorites on this album are "Higher Education" and "Sunken Ship".

Will Dailey's New Album - National Throat

Top 5 Reasons Why You Need to Check Out Will Dailey:

1) Will was recently awarded "Artist of the Year" and "Album of the Year" at the 2014 Boston Music Awards! (CONGRATS!)
2) Will has performed at Farm Aid over the years and shared the stage with Neil Young, Dave Matthews and other legendary performers
3) Will was on an episode of CSI: NY where he played his song "Rise" along with Gary Sinise!
4) Will was featured on the Today show and played in front of a live outdoor audience in New York City
5) At historic Fenway Park in Boston, Will sang "God Bless America" in front of thousands of Red Sox fans

In my opinion, Will is an absolutely amazing singer, songwriter and guitarist.

It's been so much fun to see him grow as a musician over the years. Last year I also had a unique opportunity to work with him on one of my songs called "I'd Do It For You".

Check out some of Will's videos on his YouTube channel and learn more about his music and story through his website. You can also order his album through Amazon.com.

Have you listened to Will Dailey's music or seen him perform over the years? Leave a comment and share some feedback!