Walker Hayes 1,884

Mobile, Alabama native Walker Hayes made his journey to Nashville after studying music in college, armed with a cheap guitar and the kind of offbeat musical personality that results from a steady diet of Garth Brooks and the Beastie Boys. He was eventually able to land a publishing deal for his songwriting and followed that with a major label record deal that produced the singles “Pants” and “Why Wait for Summer” in 2010 and and 2011. Though singularly unique productions, neither one made a big impact in the country chart environment at the time. Hayes was dropped from his label’s roster in a round of corporate consolidation but continued to work on his writing and artistry. To help keep food on the table for his wife and six children, he took a job at Costco stocking produce and wrote songs in the hours following his shift. Out of this exhausting grind came some of the songs that comprise his new EP 8Tracks (Vol. 1): Good Shit, released in conjunction with SMACK Songs (May 2016) and the guidance of red hot songwriter/producer Shane McAnally (Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves). The stripped-down EP’s funky, loop driven “Shades” became a summertime sensation thanks to its explosion across streaming services and praise from syndicated morning show host Bobby Bones, who played it during drive time. But nestled among the project’s raw, minimalist tracks were deeper offerings: “Beer in the Fridge,” chronicling his struggle with alcoholism, and “Bad Thing (Good Shit)” about the fleeting nature of life and its greatest joys. In August, 2016, Hayes release a second collection of songs, 8Tracks (Vol. 2): Break The Internet, which contains standout track “Lela’s Stars,” a song that chronicles Hayes’ struggle to make ends meet, and how his daughter Lela was able to remind him to keep a positive perspective. Off to a running start this year, Hayes signed a deal with Monument Records, an imprint of Sony Music based in Nashville, Tenn. co-headed by McAnally and Jason Owen, which launched in January 2017. Hayes is currently recording his full-length studio album with McAnally, due later this year. His fist single from the forthcoming album, “You Broke Up With Me” is available for digital download now.