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His debut album, A Century Ends was released to great acclaim in the
first half of 1993- ten tracks of anger, love, passion and just about
every other emotion you can think of. It has become a classic In its
own right and succeeded in winning over a core of loyal followers who
have stayed with him ever since. Following a full tour of Europe. David
returned to record his second album Flesh which was released in
1994. Continuing to work with Hut in Europe under the Virgin umbrella,
however, a lack of support from the label eventually lead to him being
dropped from the label. He was quickly snapped up by EMI records.
Meanwhile his profile and popularity In Ireland began to rise rapidly.
"No Disco" (Network 2's groundbreaking) alternative music programme
hosted by the now legendary Donal Dineen) played his videos
constantly as well as showcasing his live potential in televised
sessions.

Gray's third album Sell, Sell, Sell, was released by EMI in 1996. For
some reason the release was restricted to the UK and Ireland despite
mainland Europe crying out for more of his material. Live performances
continued to be David Gray's forte. Enabling him to build up a gigging
reputation that is second to none, and causing him to sell out venues
whenever he tours. Additionally, his reputation won him a series of
prestigious support slots with the likes of Radiohead to Dave
Matthews.

Gray's fourth and most recent album, White Ladder. was self financed,
recorded in a London Flat with the windows open and the trucks
rumbling past, and is released in his own label IHT. It owes as much to
the sampler as to the guitar but retains David's distinctive touches,
 the wishful vocals and sublime melodies.

White Ladder went straight into the Irish Top 30 And shot up the
charts as his sold out December Tour of Ireland wended its way
around the country. Meanwhile, 5 tracks from the album provided the
backbone for the soundtrack of Kathy Burke's new film, " This Year's
Love."

As the world eased itself into 1999, "This Year's Love" was released as
the first single from "White Ladder". The album refused to leave the
Irish charts. "Babylon" was the second single taken from the album
and was followed by sold out 4,500 capacity headline gig at the Big
Beat Festival in Galway in July which only served to emphasize David's
rneteoric rise and brought the album into the Irish top 5(11 months
after release)

David's Slane warm up gig at HQ sold out in 48 hours, the performance
at Slane Castle with Robble Williams and Stereophonics went down a
treat: David won a Heineken Hot Press award in 'Guest of the Nation'
category and finished off the year with a new single 'Please Forgive
Me'. The video was A listed on MTV UK & Ireland. The single, which
received the remix treatment from Paul Hartnol of Orbital fame, went
down a storm at clubs in Ireland and the UK.

David returned for a full Irish tour in December 1999, culminating in an
astonishing gig at the Point Depot on December 22nd...all gigs again
Sold Out. White Ladder had already reached 90,000 sales (6 times
platinum) and reached no 1 In the Irish album charts on 14th January
2000. more than a year after its release. It remained in the top slot
for five weeks.

David's success continued in 2000.  Dave Matthews (frontman of the popular
Dave Matthews Band from Charlottesville, Virginia), approcahed David about
becoming the first artist to release material on Matthews' new record label, ATO
Records.  Gray accepted the offer in a very "unpretentious deal," and White Ladder
was released in the US, with two new tracks (An abbreviated version of "Babylon"
and a former b-side track "Nightblindness").

Meanwhile, "Babylon" continued to chart in the UK, and videos began to run in
Europe and US's MTV and Vh1.  Gray's US release of "White Ladder" was backed
with a subsequent US tour, as Gray and the band headlined at smaller-than-
usual venues all across the states.  Gray's and Matthews' idea of a "grass roots"
support system for "White Ladder's" release paid off.  Word of mouth advertisments
and packed clubs literally spoke volumes for David.

In June, Gray released an album entitled "Lost Songs- 95-98" which returned to the
more traditional Gray sound, utilizing stark guitar riffs and haunting no frills
lyrics.  The album shot to the top of the Irish charts, and was well received wherever
it was released.  At this time, clamour for more David Gray in the US resulted in many
overseas internet purchases of the album.  Gray elplained that the title "lost Songs"
portrayed that Gray was himself feeling "lost" when many of the tunes were written.

Riding on the success that Lost Songs found in the UK, Gray finished up the fall of 2000
with another rigorous US tour, playing half empty venues to enthusiastic crowds.  It
certainly appeared that Gray's appeal was spreading throughout the States.  Immediately,
a larger-scale US tour was planned for the spring of 2001, and talks with ATO records
resulted in a tentative US release date for Lost Songs.

David took the winter off, after playing back on home turf at the end of 2000.  During this
brief time, Gray polished what would become the largest bunch of new music to surface
since White Ladder was released in 1998.  Songs such as Real Love, Northern Sea, All the Love
(which had actually debuted in 2000 shows), Be Mine, Caroline and Last Boat to America
all made appearences in 2001 US gigs.  Gray also covered Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of
Philadelphia" on the tour.  Sold out venues and much larger crowds flagged that ATO's
grassroots marketing scheme, coupled with generous radio airplay of Babylon and
Please Forgive Me, had created a very enthusiastic American following for Gray and the
band.

As 2001 advances on, it appears that the future is brighter than ever for the once
downtrodden Folk / Rocker.  Sold out shows all across the country indicate a great
enthusiasm for his mucis as the 2001 tour continues.  As new songs surface in the live
setting, fans can only anticipate a hiatus from the live scene this fall will result in a brand
new album from David Gray, which will be his sixth.
 
 

(Story written by Chris Campbell and Amazon.com)
(David Gray picture courtesy TM Terry 2000)