Country Artist Walker Hayes has been riding a steady wave of success that began last summer when his song “Fancy Like” shot to the top of iTunes and the Hot 100 Country Chart and stayed there for months.
“It was there for like 25 weeks,” says Hayes. “It’s crazy, insane! That’s like half a year, right?”
Since then, Hayes has welcomed one exciting opportunity after another. He recently kicked off his first big headline tour, and just released his brand-new record Country Stuff The Album.
He’s also has seen “Fancy Like” become part of a national ad campaign for the Applebee’s restaurant chain. Then, last Sunday, he got a bucket list invitation to perform at halftime during the AFC Championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals. It was a huge deal for the whole family.
“I’m an avid sports fans and I’ve got six kids,” he explains, “so tickets to a minor league baseball game sets me back $300 bucks, you know? Not joking around. So, I get invited to do an event like that, I’m gonna say yes!”
His performance was supposed to be seen (and heard) by the in-stadium crowd only, with no plans to have any of it televised. But in typical Walker Hayes fashion, things didn’t quite go as planned.
“My wife and kids were right behind me when I was singing,” he recalls. “I mean we were having a blast! And as soon as I put the mic down, my manager was like, ‘You won’t believe what is happening right now.’”
Through no fault of his own, the sound from his set ended up bleeding over the entire CBS sports announcers’ half-time analysis. Football fans reacted quickly, taking to social media with all kinds of tweets, memes, and jokes.
TV producers might not have been happy with what happened, but it turned out to be a positive thing for Walker. It allowed an entirely new group of people who might not be familiar with his music, to hear his name and get a glimpse of what he’s all about. Right after it happened - “Walker Hayes” was definitely trending.
“I can’t quite explain it, but that AFC Championship game is a perfect example of how things have been going for me lately,” he says. “Honestly, that little moment is kind of like every day. You just can’t predict each morning when you wake up what the day will bring.”
His new album is off to a great start, debuting in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 200 (all genre) chart and holding steady at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Album chart.
Hayes produced it, along with Joe Thibodeau and Multi-Grammy winner Shane McAnally. Country Stuff The Album features a unique collection of songs that showcase not only Hayes’ talent as a songwriter and performer, but also offers a little more insight into the man himself.
As with all of Hayes songs, they key is to pay attention to the lyrics. Therein lies the treasure. For example, his catchy “Drinking Songs” is full of witty lines and clever Hank Williams Jr references, while “Craig” tells the heartfelt story of a real-life Good Samaritan who helped Hayes and his family when they were struggling through tough times.
Each of the 13 tracks on Country Stuff The Album is a little different than the one before it.
“What’s fun for me is my albums don’t have to have this linear brand, if that makes sense,” Hayes explains. “My team allows me to share different sides of me and there’s a lot of freedom in that. We don’t have to sit and ask does this song go with that one? The album starts off with “Drinking Songs,” then “AA” comes next. And “Fancy Like” and “Craig” are right next to each other. It’s like drunk, recovery, Jesus, party...you know? It’s human, it’s a real record.”
While many have only become familiar with Hayes since “Fancy Like” became a hit, he’s been working for years to make it as a singer/songwriter. He’s had record deals that didn’t work out, publishing deals that didn’t quite pay the bills, and worked at Costco for a good while to support his family. It’s been a difficult journey getting to where he is today which is why, even as he and his family celebrate all that’s happening now, they don’t take anything for granted.
“We’ve had a lot of tough years. We lost a child, we’ve struggled financially, we’ve had every car problem you can have. I’m sober six years now, so we’ve had some difficult times leading up to this. And that’s what helps us get on our knees every day and night and just embrace this “season” and the phenomenal things happening to us.”
Hayes’ is extremely close to his family. They’ve been part of his journey every step of the way. You may recall, it was his teenage daughter, Lela, who choreographed the TikTok dance that helped “Fancy Like” go viral. Hayes’ wife and kids travel with him on tour, and he’s been excited to see so many other families, and people of all ages come his shows.
“That’s one thing I loved about some of my 90’s heroes musically is that their music transcended age demographics. It’s kids, families, and older adults enjoying my music like they did with Garth Brooks and others. I love that my music has rested in a place a lot of people can enjoy.”
Part of the appeal probably has a lot to do with how much fun he seems to be having with his music.
The “hits’ keep coming, so to speak for Walker Hayes. He continues on his “Fancy Like Tour” and hopes, as people get a chance to listen to his new album, they’ll like what they hear.
He also has some other projects in the works and even has a book coming out in May.” It’s one he co-wrote with “Craig,” that Good Samaritan who has since become a close friend. The book goes deeper into the story he shares in the song, and he hopes it will resonate with those who need to hear it.
“It’s called “Glad You’re Here” and while writing a book is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done creatively, it’s a beautiful story. There’s a lot of redemption in my house, and the book offers a lot of hope for people who are addicts, who’ve experienced loss, or who’ve dealt with broken dreams. There’s just a lot of good stuff.”
Hayes may be his own best example when it comes to working hard, staying the course, and believing dreams can come true. And perhaps, most importantly, remembering to enjoy the journey along the way.
