10 Questions with Daves Highway

Meet Daves Highway, country music’s newest sibling trio with harmonies that will knock your socks off. Comprised of Delaney, Zachary…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

February 18, 2021

4:28 pm

Daves Highway; Photo by Matt Paskert

Meet Daves Highway, country music’s newest sibling trio with harmonies that will knock your socks off.

Comprised of Delaney, Zachary and Erika Daves, Daves Highway just released a two-song, self-titled collection featuring the tracks “Hate That You Hate Me” (written by Hannah Ellis, Natalie Hemby, Josh Kerr) and “Why Do We Need ‘Em” (written by Hannah Ellis, Natalie Hemby, Josh Kear). The project was produced by Ron Fair.

The trio is managed by Jake Owen‘s Good Company Entertainment, where Owen himself serves as head of A&R for the roster.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Daves Highway. I knew the minute I heard them, they were special,” says Good Company Entertainment’s Jake Owen. “We needed great songs and a great producer. Thanks to this amazing town and the incredible songwriters, we found those songs. Ron Fair took the songs and Daves Highway to a whole new level. I’ve always loved being a cheerleader for others. I love watching the journey. I’ve been there. Daves Highway is destined for an incredible journey….”

As Daves Highway continues to introduce their music to country music fans everywhere, Country Now is sharing 10 questions with the up-and-comers below.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

Little Big Town, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayer

When did you decide to form a trio? Did you ever explore solo careers?

We have been singing together for as long as we can remember. We started singing in church and then started traveling to other churches across the southeast. We officially formed our band in 2009 and have been pursuing this career ever since!

Did you grow up in a musical household? If so, what was that like?

Not really, but our parents are music lovers. Dad loves rock n roll and Mom loves classic country. We were introduced to all types of music from a young age and it really influenced our sound.

How did you come up with your band name?

Daves is our last name and family means everything to us. We wanted to use our name in our band name. We came up with the name when we were kids and thought it would be cool to have a positive message to share so we chose highway because God’s way is the high way. It’s kinda funny to think back on it now, but it still means the same thing to us so we stuck with it.

Fans can literally see you grow up by scrolling back through your YouTube. Do you ever look back on those videos and realize how far you’ve come? Is there a favorite old video that you like to reminisce upon?

Honestly yes sometimes, but we tend to cringe when we watch them back. It’s sentimental and funny because we have memories tied to each video that nobody else can see.

What made you decide to move to Nashville and what was that transition like?

We always wanted to move to Nashville. We begged our parents our whole lives to move here. In 2015, we were here for the summer to write songs and we would ride around the city after our co-writes looking at houses and trying to figure how we could get here permanently. Out of the blue, we got the opportunity to study under the legendary producer, Charlie Peacock, at Lipscomb University. We literally got an offer and moved to town within the week. The transition was quick. We all moved out of our parents house at the same time. Here we are 6 years later and we’re still here!

How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?

It’s a mix of a little bit of country, a little bit of rock, and a little bit of pop. In Mississippi, we call it blood harmony.

What’s the story behind the song “Why Do We Need Em?”

This song was written by Natalie Hemby, Josh Kear, and Hannah Ellis. The first time we heard it, we LOVED it! With the top tier songwriters on it, we never thought we’d get this song, but Jake Owen championed it for us. It really came to life when we got into the studio and started recording it with Ron Fair. Ron really took this song in a direction we wouldn’t have been able to take it, and we are really thankful for him. We are so proud of this song!

How about the song “Hate That You Hate Me?” How did that come about?

This one was actually written by Natalie Hemby, Josh Kerr, and Hannah Ellis. Kinda funny. Obviously, we’re big fans of their work! This song made all three of us cry when we heard it for the first time because it cuts so deep. Relationships are hard and breaking up is hard. We’ve all three been through hard breakups and we’ve all had an ex hate us at some point along the way haha. Who hasn’t? Whether you’re the one doing the breaking up or you’re on the other side of it, you can relate to the lyrics. “I don’t care if you don’t love me, I just hate that you hate me.” Like wow. That’s genius.

What’s next for you?

We will continue to write, record, and release music. We can’t wait to get out on the road again and play our songs for the world. We’re really looking forward to the future!

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.