Born in the small town of Lufkin, Texas, Dave Fenley's upbringing was one that was filled with music. From a young age, Fenley was a member of his local choir, and his father was always helping him to pick out the harmonies in the popular music he'd hear on the radio. However, a move to Canada in his teenage years would change everything.
Canada would introduce Fenley to soul music – including guys like Otis Redding and Ray Charles. These early influences would later draw him to the artist who would give him one of his biggest viral successes. Fenley's acoustic cover of Lionel Ritchie's 1984 hit 'Stuck on You' stands as proof of his ability to skillfully mix country and soul.
So far, the video has gotten over 11 million views and many commenters have focussed in on just how perfect Fenley's voice is for this song.
In fact, his performance style is so popular that Fenley has enjoyed stints on both America's Got Talent and The Voice – opportunities that led to him making great connections in the music industry.
Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Fenley has amassed quite the following on his various social media platforms with over 300,000 YouTube subscribers.
But there's more to Dave Fenley's talents than his strong ear for covers.
Over the years, he has also released a number of original songs – taking from his own lived experiences to present a peek into his life that just wouldn't come from another writer's words.
A highlight among his originals is definitely 'Come To Think About It', a song based on an argument he had with his ex-wife about Nashville's drinking scene and their eventual split. Check out the song in full below:
Fenley's efforts to bend and combine genres in the way he does really makes him a far more compelling listen than your average YouTube cover artist. Describing his philosophy on music as 'genre free' – don't let the country sound and instrumentation fool you into thinking he's a one trick pony.
Even the range of cover songs he selects do a great job at displaying his far-reaching taste – with everything from Garth Brooks and Bob Seger, to Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton making an appearance.
Sprinkle in the clear strength of his self-written material and you have an artist who stands out above many others in his field.
You can find Dave Fenley's music through his YouTube channel and if you decide to take a look at his official website, physical copies of his major releases can be purchased there along with some pretty wacky merchandise!
His motto, 'spread love like peanut butter' is something a friend said to him once when he wasn't exactly being as kind-hearted as he is now. The phrase stuck with him, though, and nowadays, he uses his music to enrich the days of those who open their ears to it!
The dude even has a Christmas album 'A Dave Fenley Christmas'. If you want to see more from Dave, you can subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Facebook. You can also visit his official website for more information.