Walker Hayes Gets Real About Fatherhood And Fame In New, Two-Song Project, ‘being a dad and missing mine’
This collection of music includes “6 string American dream” and “if father time had a daughter.”
Walker Hayes; Photo by Robert Chavers
For almost 20 years, Walker Hayes worked tirelessly to build a strong foundation for himself in Nashville. After many rounds of trial and error, everything changed when his dance anthem, “Fancy Like,” became a viral sensation. Despite the spike in fame and the accompanying fortune, Hayes has continued to be vulnerable and raw about the difficult sides of his life as well, like losing a child and battling addiction. The rollercoaster of his journey has inspired a new, two-song collection titled, being a dad and missing mine.
“Been waiting to get these two songs out for a long time,” Hayes shared in a press release. “As I look at the body of work and the songs I’m sitting on, I think about what I want to say – and this is what I want to say to the world right now. These songs wreck me in different ways and it’s my hope that everyone that listens will leave feeling real feelings.”
One of the songs, “6 string american dream” depicts the reality of the challenges that he faces outside of the spotlight. Even through all of the exciting accomplishments Hayes has experienced, from recording a smash hit to earning a GRAMMY nomination and selling out arenas, there are still a few pieces of his heart that can never be filled by any award or No. 1 hit.
In 2018, he and his wife, Laney, suffered a great loss when they welcomed their seventh child Oakleigh, and then lost her on the same day. As parents of six other children, this was a tragedy unlike any other. A few years later, Hayes lost his dad, Charles Edgar Hayes, and has since made it a goal to carry on his legacy through his own journey as a father. The singer/songwriter touches on these major obstacles and more in his new tune.
“6 String American Dream is as honest as they come. These past 2 years have been outstanding to me. All of my dreams comin true.. but in a very sobering way It didn’t fix anythin that matters. That’s what this song revolves around,” Hayes wrote on Instagram ahead of the song’s release.
The second song included on the new project is “if father time had a daughter,” which accentuates the Alabama native’s silky vocals and powerful storytelling as he pleads with Father Time to slow things down just a bit so that his girls won’t grow up so fast.
“When they play that song, it’s so bittersweet / And I remember her in her little bare feet / Dancing on her toes on my boots / I’ma try not to cry but shoot / Y’all gon’ have to give me a break if you see a few tears / Least I had some really really really good years / Bet daddy’s girls would stay little a little bit longer / If father time had a daughter,” he sings in the tear-jerking chorus.
This heartfelt track was paired with an equally moving music video that features his daughter, Loxley Hayes, whose vocals can also be heard on the new song. Hayes is seen enjoying life with his girls and making memories, both big and small, that are captured through nostalgia-laced film.
Both “6 string American dream” and “if father time had a daughter” follow a string of fan-favorites from the Monument Records recording artist, including “Face In The Crowd,” “Y’all Life,” and many more off his 2022 full-length project, Country Stuff The Album.
Starting this April, Walker Hayes will hit the road for his headlining arena tour, The Duck Buck Tour. The 23-date trek will kick off April 13 in Rosemont, Illinois, and continue with stops in Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Alabama, and more. He will wrap things up on August 5 in Sterling Heights, MI.
Special guests Ingrid Andress, BRELAND, Ray Fulcher, Nicolle Galyon and Chris Lane will join Hayes on the road on select days.
“I can’t wait to get back out on tour,” Hayes previously shared of his upcoming shows. “Headlining an arena tour for the first time this past year was a dream come true. The whole family was able to come out and the road has become our new home away from home. All the fans that have come out or will come out are making this dream a reality. I owe it all to them, and this next tour will be the biggest and best. I don’t take for granted that they spent their hard-earned money on my shows, and I plan to make it well worth it!”
For a full list of Walker Hayes’ upcoming tour dates, click HERE.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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