David Gray

Amazing to think that David Gray had been through two record deals and was chancing his arm as an independent artist by the time he broke through to the mainstream in spectacular fashion with 1999's White Ladder, recorded in a London flat with basic acoustic guitar and sampling gear. Longtime fans (especially in Ireland, where he always found staunch support) rejoiced at the deserved success brought by gorgeous tracks like "Babylon". We've stacked some of Gray's excellent live and overlooked songs in Next Steps.

Supported by touring pal Dave Matthews — White Ladder was the first-ever release in the U.S. for Matthews' ATO Records — Gray celebrated his late-flowering popularity by greeting the 21st century with a bunch of re-releases. Discover what most people missed the first time 'round with the caustic "What Are You?" from 1994's Flesh — the sound of an angry young poet. For a taste of Gray live, we've included the likes of "Baltimore" and "Shine".

From his solo beginnings in 1992 with the folkish debut A Century Ends to his current hard-earned position at the forefront of the singer-songwriter movement, David Gray has consistently shown a fine poetic touch in the realm of sadness, love, and loneliness. Although it took a while for the world to wake up to his talent (he was dropped twice by major labels during the '90s), the world is now onboard, and Gray has become a beacon of hope and resilience. Truth is, he's all talent.