“Country music is the greatest thing in the whole world,” declares country singing sensation David Wills, a Nashville area native. With his trademark rich baritone voice and his passion for artistically orchestrating the perfect alignment of words in a great country song, Wills has been recognized as one of Nashville’s leading singers and songwriters for decades.

Wills charted twenty-one songs on the country Billboard charts and recorded three country albums between 1974 and 1988. As a songwriter, he penned hit songs for stars like George Strait, John Schneider, Keith Whitley, John Michael Montgomery, Patty Loveless, Janie Fricke, Sawyer Brown, and Garth Brooks. He and Bill Shore co-wrote “Wild Horses” for Brooks’ No Fences album in 1990, which was certified for eighteen-million copies shipped in the United States. Ten years later, it was released as a single and went to number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks, with combined sales totaling twenty-three million.

Wills was born and raised in Pulaski, Tennessee, the son of John and Roberta Steinfath. His talented mom bought him his first guitar at a young age. “My mother is the one that basically taught me how to play the guitar,” remembered the legendary singer many years later.

As he became a teenager, he started playing with local bands around Pulaski and later earned a spot in a new rock ’n’ roll band called Dynamic Downbeats with lifelong friend Frank Speers. When Wills got to high school, his dad took a job in Huntsville, Alabama. It was in nearby Lakeland, Tennessee, at the Lakeland Amusement Park that David entered into a talent show that would forever change the course of his career in music.

Wills got his start after he won the talent show with Seymour “Sy” Rosenberg presiding as one of the judges. Rosenberg tapped Wills on the shoulder after the performance and asked the twenty-two-year-old if he would like to be a star. He eagerly replied, “Heck yeah! Where do I sign up?” Shortly after that, Wills met with Rosenberg and signed a managerial agreement. Rosenberg managed Charlie Rich, and together they got Wills signed to Epic Records, which was permitted through their contract.

Wills immediately began touring with Rich as an opening act along with several others, including Rich’s son Allan. Two months later, Wills was playing to a huge crowd at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York. Wills’ entry into country music was significant because of the players who surrounded him. Charlie Rich had been around a long time but had released “Behind Closed Doors” the previous year, placing him at the pinnacle of country music.

Released in 1974, his debut album Barrooms to Bedrooms contained his two top ten hits, “There’s A Song On The Jukebox,” penned by Carmol Taylor and Billy Sherrill, and “From Barrooms to Bedrooms,” composed by David Wills and Sy Rosenberg.

Wills released another album in 1975, entitled Everybody’s Country. It featured a cover of Rich’s “All Over Me” and also the rock ’n’ roll standard “Long Tall Sally.” After developing a close association with Blake Mevis, who managed George Strait at the time, Wills signed a recording deal with RCA Records. He then released New Beginnings, which included “The Eyes Of A Stranger,” produced by Mevis.

Thirteen years later, Wills released Line On Love. The title track was included on John Michael Montgomery’s debut album in October of 1992. The largely gospel-themed CD also included “You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are,” which appeared on Patty Loveless’ sixth album Only What I Feel. Wills co-wrote both songs. Line On Love was the last release of Wills’ music until his later resurgence.

With more than 35 million copies of his songs sold, Wills continues to be a songwriting sensation. The singer-songwriter worked for Charley Pride Music Group for more than four decades. He co-wrote with Mevis, “If You’re Thinking You Want A Stranger” for George Strait, which peaked at number three in 1982. He wrote “Leona” for Sawyer Brown, “Charlotte’s In North Carolina” for Keith Whitley, “You’re The Last Thing I Needed Tonight” for John Schneider, and “Wild Horses.” He also wrote “Holding Out Hope To You” for Michael English, which won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year at the 1994 Dove Awards.

In October 2024, Wills received one of the highest honors of his career when he was inducted into the Independent Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, recognizing his decades-long impact on country music as both a recording artist and a songwriter.

In the summer of 2021, plans began to materialize between Wills and Georgia native Wesley Fricks to release two albums containing songs Wills had written. The first album, released in November 2022, consists of songs Wills had either recorded or written for other country artists. The second album, released in June 2023, featured standout tracks like “Thank God I’m A Cowboy,” “Jesus Lives Here,” “Stained Glass,” and “When A Plan Comes Together.”

Continuing that creative momentum, Wills released a third album in November 2025 with Tugalo Records titled Way Too Much Fun!. The project showcases both his storytelling depth and his playful spirit. Tracks include “Honor Bound,” a heartfelt tribute to the United States Armed Forces; “Made In The Shade,” a nostalgic reflection on forging memories with his dad while working on cars; “No Anchors,” a maritime-themed love song rich with boat metaphors; and “Move Over Memphis,” a tongue-in-cheek anthem proclaiming that the blues have found a new home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The album is already receiving high marks and enthusiastic reviews from around the world and is currently under consideration for honors at Josie Music Awards, set for September 2026.

With a legacy that bridges classic country tradition and contemporary storytelling, David Wills remains a powerful voice in American music — a songwriter’s songwriter and a singer whose passion for country music continues to shine as brightly as ever.

For Booking David Wills, Contact Tugalo Records, Inc, 527 Dovetown Rd. Suite 24 Royston, Georgia 30662  Wesley Fricks (706) 988-8250 or email wesfricks@gmail.com .

~ Charted 21 songs on Billboards Hot Country Charts.
~ 35 Million copies sold of songs written.
~ Wrote songs for Charley Pride Music Group for forty years.
~ Worked for Epic Records, United Artists, RCA and Tugalo Records.

For more info on David Wills, visit www.davidwillsmusic.com