Drake White 

Born in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, country singer and songwriter Drake White's mix of country, blues, funk, rock & roll, and reggae, and his energetic, foot-stomping live shows eventually led him to Nashville and beyond. Growing up, he sang in the choir at his local church, and after getting a guitar at the age of 14 from a neighbor down the road who played bluegrass, he began writing and playing songs, continuing to do so while attending Gadsen State Community College and then Auburn University, earning a degree in building science even as he played in the local venues at night. After graduation, White took a job with a general contractor in Nashville, working by day and playing the song rounds at night, developing, with his band the Big Fire, a crackling and energetic stage presence that often found him freestyling lyrics in the middle of songs. He caught the eye of producer Jeremy Stover and was soon signed to MCA Nashville, turned his attention full-time to music, and released a debut single, "Simple Life," on the label early in 2013. A year later, White signed with Big Machine affiliate Dot Records, resulting in a pair of 2015 singles, "It Feels Good" and "Livin' the Dream." In August 2016, Dot released White's debut album, Spark, which debuted at number four on the Top Country Albums chart. Two years later, White released the Pieces EP.

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In 2019, the "Livin' the Dream" singer almost fainted on stage during his concert series in Roanoke, Virginia. At that time, his bandmate quickly caught him when he began to stumble.

After the incident, he revealed that he had been facing an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) for months. The illness is caused by an abnormal tangle of arteries and veins in a patient's brain, disrupting normal blood flow in the system. White turned that dark experience into an inspiration to his new album, "The Optimystic." he revealed that the album is the result of him pushing through challenges.