bio of Daniel Dean

            Daniel Dean was born about an hour inland of Myrtle Beach in the small town of Dillon, South Carolina. He grew up way out in the country with no friends close by to play with. This made Daniel spend a whole lot of time doing the two things he loved the most; writing music, playing a guitar, and spending time out in the woods with a gun.
Daniel played in a rock band from 16 to 20 years old. Then, a late night on a dirt road made him decide he needed to dedicate to something much larger. The next day he was signed up for the U.S. Marine Corps

Daniel turned 21 in boot camp and would end up spending 19 months total in Iraq, but he always had his guitar with him. It was there that he realized his true life’s calling of writing country songs. Daniel says that it is amazing how a country song can take you back home when you’re in a war zone 6,000 miles away.
Country music kept him alive. Daniel was a Sniper team leader, and to keep him awake on missions, he would write songs in his head. When he got back to base, he would work them out on guitar.
Daniel’s base of operations is now in Nashville. He is writing with the towns’ top writers, playing his own shows, and also playing lead guitar for several artists. Daniel says, “There was a time in my life that I knew my purpose was to carry a gun in a combat zone. Now, I know that my weapon is my guitar and music, and I know that Nashville is where I belong.

www.reverbnation.com/danieldeanmusic

The Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival
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