by Brett HartenbachBorn in New York, singer/songwriter David Mead's family relocated to Nashville, where he spent the majority of his formative years, honing his craft in pop bands such as Verdant Green, Blue Million, and Joe, Marc's Brother. Mead eventually ventured out on his own, collaborating on a demo of his songs with local keyboardist Jason Lehning. The recording subsequently landed him in the offices of RCA Records, where he performed his tunes alone with a guitar. The label signed him shortly thereafter. With the aid of Lehning (credited as associate producer) and producer Peter Collins (Jewel, Brian Setzer), the 25-year-old Mead was given a relatively free hand on his 1999 debut for RCA. The resulting album, The Luxury of Time, is a collection of well-crafted tunes that tap classic writers from George Gershwin and Cole Porter to Lennon and McCartney and Paul Simon for inspiration without ever coming across as contrived or less than fresh. Mead, who moved back to New York at the time of his first recording, cites his years in Nashville for his growth as a writer and for his appreciation of the proverbial three-minute pop song. The follow-up, Mine and Yours was released in early 2001. Indiana, his first release for Nettwerk, arrived three years later. For 2005's Wherever You Are, Mead was joined by legendary producer Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Peter Gabriel). North American tour dates coincided the spring 2006 release of Tangerine.