Nathaniel Rateliff on Tour
Nathaniel Rateliff is a performer of glorious extremes. When he's fronting his eight-piece band the Night Sweats, he's an absolute belter — a howling soul man raised on Otis Redding who would've given Sam & Dave reason to consider adding another ampersand to their name. But then there's Rateliff the quiet confessor — a folksy balladeer who channels the likes of Harry Nilsson and Leonard Cohen as he strums his guitar and sings of heartache, loss and overcoming. In either configuration, this burly and bearded Missourian leads with his heart, inspiring crowds to sing and clap along at any tempo. While Rateliff has led a handful of bands in different styles over the years, he's always found success on the road, sharing the stage with the likes of the Lumineers, Michael Kiwanuka, Bon Iver and Rosanne Cash.
Nathaniel Rateliff in Concert
Nathaniel Rateliff's blue-collar roots deeply inform not only his songs but also his path through an often challenging career. He grew up in rural Hermann, Missouri, and by 7 was drumming alongside his mother (a guitarist) and father (on harmonica) in the family gospel band. In the wake of the elder Rateliff's untimely passing, a 13-year-old Nathaniel discovered a cache of secular music his dad had been hiding, including records by Otis Redding, Booker T. and Van Morrison. Inspired by the new tunes and in need of an outlet, Rateliff began writing songs. For a while he bounced between Hermann and Denver, cycling through jobs — carpentry, gardening, janitorial services — while trying to get various music projects off the ground: the emo-leaning Born in the Flood, the folksier Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel and, at last, the Night Sweats. That last group took off after their rip-roaring soul single "S.O.B." went big in 2015, and Rateliff should've been set for life. Alas, the group's second album, 2018's Tearing at the Seams, was bookended by intense loss: first, Rateliff's divorce and, second, the death of his friend and go-to producer Richard Swift. To work through his feelings, the singer went solo for 2020's And It's Still Alright, a set of tender ballads that mourn while seeking light.
