Walker Hayes dropped his new project Country Stuff The Album today and stopped by The Bobby Bones Show to talk all things fame, new music, and his family.
While most of Hayes' large fan base came about in the last year thanks to the viral success of his song "Fancy Like", he's actually lived in Nashville pursuing a career as an artist for over 17 years now. Hayes confessed that there was a point in his career when he thought he should pursue just songwriting. Adding that it is still just as hard to be a songwriter and get artists to cut your work. There is a big difference in the fame he his now compared to before the viral success of "Fancy Like," and Hayes says it's mainly the recognition. It felt like overnight people started recognizing him at Chick-fil-A, even his neighbors started to want his autograph when they never cared before. Hayes added that the different part this time is that fans want pictures with his whole family. He doesn't mind letting his kids take pictures with fans, especially Lela, who is often in all of his dancing videos. Though he's still very protective over his 6-year-old daughter and doesn't have her in many photos with fans. When talking about his family, Hayes admitted the grocery bill is always very large with 6 kids. They eat a lot of rotisserie chicken and cereal. They tend to buy about 6 gallons of milk a week, and whenever they make french toast they have to use about 20 eggs. Also adding that his 14-year-old son eats so much, sometimes consuming 4 PB&J sandwiches in one sitting.
Country Stuff The Album has several new songs on it. One of them is a rendition of his already released song "Craig," except this version is a collaboration with MercyMe. The song was inspired by a man named Craig who changed Hayes and his family's life. Walker noted that Craig and his family loved on the Hayes family when they weren't lovable, specifically when Hayes was an alcoholic. Hayes wrote the song to thank him, and now they are neighbors. MercyMe reached out to Hayes because they didn't believe enough people knew about his song "Craig," and thought they should.
Another song on the project is "Life With You," which is Hayes' wife's favorite song on the album. It's about his marriage to his wife. The two of them have been together since high school. They had one break for about 10 months after college, but then met back up at a friend's wedding and shortly after got engaged. There's a song on the project called "Briefcase" that's inspired by Hayes' father. Hayes wrote it with Lori McKenna and admitted it's a very emotional song because McKenna brings that side out of everyone she writes with in town. At the time of the song write, Hayes was traveling back and forth from Mobile, Alabama to visit his father who was sick and in hospice. He admitted that he had resentment towards his dad growing up, but as he grew older and had kids of his own he began to understand his father a lot more. He forgave his father for many things, and said a lot of "I love yous" before Hayes' father eventually passed. Hayes was able to play "Briefcase" for his father also before he passed, but his father didn't recognize him. Though, his father did say it was a pretty song.
Hayes is a very busy man as of lately, he's about to hit the road for his Fancy Like Tour, which has mostly sold out besides a few of the dates. Fans can definitely expect to hear his viral song on that tour, he admitted that it's the last song he plays during his set. Though fame hasn't changed Hayes all that much, recently he was on the road for a radio show when their rental car's tire went flat. Hayes was able to change the flat tire in 9 minutes with the big donut in the back.
Watch his entire interview with Bobby Bones above.