Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Nathaniel David Rateliff, born on October 7, 1978, in St. Louis, Missouri, began his musical journey learning drums at age seven and performing at church. The passing of his father in 1993 significantly influenced his relationship with music. In 1996, Rateliff relocated to Denver, Colorado, after a missionary trip, eventually forming the band Born in the Flood in 2002 with lifelong collaborator Joseph Pope III. This band quickly gained a local following in Denver, headlining festivals like the Westword Music Showcase and releasing their debut full-length album, “If This Thing Should Spill,” in February 2007. Despite their growing success, Rateliff chose to pursue a more introspective, solo singer-songwriter path, leading to the formation of “Nathaniel Rateliff & the Wheel” around 2007, and releasing “Desire and Dissolving Men” shortly after Born in the Flood’s disbandment. He continued this trajectory with “In Memory of Loss” in 2010 through Rounder Records and Decca, and “Falling Faster Than You Can Run” in 2013 on Mod y Vi Records, supporting it with a tour alongside The Lumineers and Dr. Dog.

The turning point came in 2013 when Rateliff, alongside Joseph Pope III and other collaborators, developed a more upbeat, soulful sound, leading to the formation of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats. Their self-titled debut album, released by Stax Records on August 21, 2015, became a significant hit, propelled by the lead single “S.O.B.” The band, comprising Joseph Pope III (bass), Mark Shusterman (keyboards), Patrick Meese (drums), Luke Mossman (guitar), Wesley Watkins (trumpet), and Andy Wild (saxophone), gained viral recognition. This success led to extensive touring across North America, England, Ireland, and Australia, and performances at major festivals including Coachella, Farm Aid, Newport Folk Festival, and the Monterey Pop Festival’s 50th Anniversary. In November 2016, they released the EP “A Little More From…” and continued to build on their momentum.

March 9, 2018, saw the release of their second studio album, “Tearing at the Seams,” which debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Alternative Albums chart. The lead single, “You Worry Me,” topped the Adult Alternative Songs charts and reached the top 10 on the Alternative Songs chart. In November 2019, Rateliff announced a solo tour and his first solo album in seven years, “And It’s Still Alright,” released on February 14, 2020, through Stax Records. He also contributed the song “Redemption” to the Apple Original film “Palmer” in December 2020. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats debuted on “Saturday Night Live” in February 2021, performing “Redemption” and “A Little Honey.” Their third studio album, “The Future,” was released on November 5, 2021, via Stax Records, with “South of Here” following on June 28, 2024. Throughout these projects, Rateliff and the band have consistently delivered compositions noted for their blend of R&B, soul, and rock elements, earning critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.