David Berman (born 1967 in Williamsburg, Virginia) attended high school at the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas before matriculating at the University of Virginia. It was while in Charlottesville, Virginia that he began writing and performing songs, forming his band the Silver Jews. He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Berman's accomplished lyrics have been compared by some to Bob Dylan, and the Silver Jews have released five albums (The Arizona Record , Starlite Walker , The Natural Bridge , American Water , and Bright Flight ). Berman is also known for his poetry and short stories, releasing the poetry collection Actual Air in 1999. In his poetry, Berman examines overlooked aspects of everyday life as well as chance and often hilarious juxtapositions.