When Will Dailey takes the stage tonight at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, he will do so as a Billboard-charting artist for the first time. His recent full-length album, National Throat, released last week on the independent Wheelkick Records and created with the help of a Pledge campaign, entered the Billboard Heatseekers Chart at Number 18, besting releases by Rubblebucket and New Medicine.
Not bad for a guy who left his major-label deal two years ago in order to take back control of his career.
Dailey relayed the news this afternoon on Facebook, recalling the following interaction: “This was said to me: ‘If you ask them to let you go, how are you gonna get your records out? None of these labels will want to sign you again. You’ll be done.”
Turns out it was just the beginning.
“Well the record got out!!!” Dailey added. “I’d like to say that speech I was given lit a fire but it just bummed me out. Making this album and getting it out lit the fire. Being on this chart is nice. Real nice. But making it and people hearing it and the individual reactions are the best. Thanks to everyone who went out and got it, pre-ordered and downloaded. This was not a DIY project. It never has been.”
Check out the video for the album’s lead track, “Sunken Ship,” below. To purchase National Throat, follow the appropriate links: iTunes / CD / limited-edition vinyl.
[embedvideo id=”N3nGl4on1jo” website=”youtube”]
