Walker Hayes: Difference between revisions

{{short description|American musician}}

| image = Walkerhayes2016.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Hayes in 2016

* [[Pop country]]<ref name="allmusic"/>

| associated_acts =

'''Charles Edgar Walker Hayes''' (born December 27, 1979) is an American [[pop country]] singer and songwriter. He has released three studio albums: ''Reason to Rhyme'' in 2011 on [[Capitol Records Nashville]], and ''[[Boom (Walker Hayes album)|Boom]]'' and ''[[Country Stuff the Album]]'' in 2017 and 2022 on [[Monument Records]]. Hayes has charted multiple singles on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs]] and [[Country Airplay]] charts; his highest-peaking is "[[Fancy Like]]", which reached the number one position on both charts between late 2021 and early 2022.

Hayes was born on December 27, 1979, in [[Mobile, Alabama]]. His father, Charles Hayes, was a [[real estate|realtor]] and died in 2021.<ref name="Al.com"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Charles Hayes-Obituary |url=http://mobilerealtors.com/charles-hayes-obituary/ |website=Mobile Area Association of Realtors |access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref> Hayes graduated from [[Birmingham–Southern College]] in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in music and an emphasis on piano.<ref name="Al.com"/>

==Musical career==

Hayes and his wife moved to Nashville in 2005, hoping to get in the country music business. He landed a job writing songs for a Nashville publishing company and then signed a contract with [[Mercury Records Nashville]],<ref name="post">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/walker-hayes-isnt-afraid-to-sing-about-failure-and-its-making-him-a-success/2017/09/13/23d1fece-8ea2-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html|title=Walker Hayes isn't afraid to sing about struggling, and it's making him a success|website=The Washington Post|access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref> though he was quickly dropped and moved to [[Capitol Records]] Nashville.<ref name="Al.com"/> In 2010, he released his first single, "Pants". It debuted at No.&nbsp;60 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] charts dated for the week ending September 18, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1647566/lady-antebellums-need-you-now-recaptures-no-1-perch.jhtml |title=Lady Antebellum's ''Need You Now'' Recaptures No.&nbsp;1 Perch |author=Edward Morris |date=September 11, 2010 |work=[[Country Music Television|CMT]] |access-date=September 30, 2010}}</ref> Kyle Ward of Roughstock rated the single 3.5 stars out of 5.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roughstock.com/blog/walker-hayes-pants- |title=Walker Hayes — "Pants" |author=Kyle Ward |date=September 6, 2010 |work=Roughstock |access-date=September 30, 2010}}</ref> Hayes debuted the video for the song in December 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theboot.com/2010/12/17/walker-hayes-pants-video/|title=Walker Hayes, 'Pants' (Making of the Video)|date=December 17, 2010|work=The Boot|access-date=December 22, 2010}}</ref> Hayes also appeared on an episode of [[19 Kids and Counting]], singing a song he wrote about Jill and her now husband, Derick's, proposal. "Pants" and a second single, "Why Wait for Summer", both appeared on an album for [[Capitol Records]] titled ''Reason to Rhyme''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/reason-to-rhyme-mw0002594490|title=Reason To Rhyme – Walker Hayes – Songs, Reviews, Credits|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref><ref name="post"/>

Hayes co-wrote and sang guest vocals on "Dirty Side", a cut from [[Colt Ford]]'s 2014 album ''[[Thanks for Listening (Colt Ford album)|Thanks for Listening]]''.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Thanks for Listening (Deluxe Edition) |others=Colt Ford |year=2014 |type=CD booklet |pages=2–8 |publisher=Average Joes Entertainment}}</ref> He also co-wrote [[Rodney Atkins]]' late-2014 single "Eat Sleep Love You Repeat".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/rodney-atkins-eat-sleep-love-you-repeat/|title=Rodney Atkins Releases 'Eat Sleep Love You Repeat'|last=Allers|first=Hannahlee|date=October 30, 2014|work=The Boot|access-date=October 31, 2014}}</ref> After losing his contract with Capitol Records, Hayes worked at a [[Costco]] to support himself.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7873034/walker-hayes-comeback-monument-records|title=Nashville Broke Up With Walker Hayes, But After a Stint at Costco He's Back|last=Stark|first=Phyllis|date=July 19, 2017|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=October 30, 2017}}</ref>

In 2016, Hayes signed a publishing and production deal with [[Shane McAnally]] and SMACK/RareSpark, through which he released two [[extended play]]s:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2017/06/27/534552977/world-cafe-nashville-walker-hayes|title=Walker Hayes' Mixtapes Keep Country Conversational|publisher=NPR|access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref> ''8Tracks Vol. 1'' and ''8Tracks Vol. 2''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://musicrow.com/2018/03/walker-hayes-re-releases-8tracks-vol-1-2-as-thank-you-to-fans/|title=Walker Hayes Re-Releases '8Tracks Vol. 1 & 2' As Thank You To Fans|date=March 19, 2018}}</ref> This was followed by his first single for [[Monument Records]], "[[You Broke Up with Me]]".<ref name="auto"/> It appears on his first Monument album, ''[[Boom (Walker Hayes album)|Boom]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/walker-hayes-boom-album-release-date/|title=Walker Hayes to Release Full-Length Album, 'Boom'|website=Taste of Country|access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref> It would be his breakthrough hit on the Billboard charts.

In August 2018, Hayes released a single titled "90's Country", whose song lyrics contain multiple references to titles of country songs from the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/walker-hayes-90s-country/|title=Walker Hayes Takes Us Back in Time With '90's Country'}}</ref>

On June 4, 2021, Hayes released the EP ''[[Country Stuff]]''. One of its tracks, "[[Fancy Like]]", became a viral hit through [[TikTok]] and reached number 3 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="Hot 100"/> and number 1 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart,<ref name="Hot Country Songs"/> becoming Hayes' highest-charting effort to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9590406/walker-hayes-fancy-like-tops-country-digital-song-sales-chart/|title=Walker Hayes' 'Fancy' Dance Moves Spark His First No. 1: 'Just Me Being Me ... With My Family'|work=Billboard|last=Asker|first=Jim|date=June 22, 2021|access-date=July 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-song-walker-hayes-viral-hit-fancy-like/|title=Behind the Song: Walker Hayes' Viral Hit "Fancy Like"|website=American Songwriter|last=Benitez-Eves|first=Tina|date=July 9, 2021|access-date=July 11, 2021}}</ref> It was subsequently released to country radio as his next single, and debuted at number 53 on the [[Country Airplay|''Billboard'' Country Airplay]] chart. "Fancy Like" appeared on an [[extended play]] titled ''[[Country Stuff]]'', the tracks of which also carried over to his third studio album, 2022's ''[[Country Stuff the Album]]''. The album has also produced the singles "[[U Gurl]]" and "[[AA (song)|AA]]".<ref name="toc">{{cite web | url=https://tasteofcountry.com/walker-hayes-country-stuff-the-album/ | title=Walker Hayes announces 'Country Stuff the Album' | publisher=Taste of Country | date=November 19, 2021 | accessdate=January 20, 2022}}</ref>

He lives in [[Thompson's Station, Tennessee]], with his wife, Laney Beville Hayes, and their six children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/2022/01/27/fancy-like-applebees-on-date-night-tiktok-walker-hayes-rides-waves-crossover-hit-new-album/6415684001/|title=If Nashville is a 10-year town, no one told Walker Hayes (and that's OK by him)|work=[[The Tennessean]]|last=Leimkuehler|first=Matthew|date=January 27, 2022|access-date=January 28, 2022}}</ref> Their seventh child, a fourth daughter, died hours after birth on June 6, 2018.

! width="45"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br /><ref name="Billboard 200">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/tlp/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History: Billboard 200|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=June 29, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Top Country Albums|US<br />Country]]<br /><ref name="country album">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/clp/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History: Top Country Albums|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=July 20, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Canadian Albums Chart|CAN]]<br /><ref name="CAN Albums">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/cna/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History: Canadian Albums|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref>

*US: 16,000<ref name="CSTA BB200">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/encanto-soundtrack-billboard-200-number-one-third-week-1235025054/|title='Encanto' Spends Third Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|work=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=January 30, 2022|access-date=January 31, 2022}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Top Heatseekers|US Heat]]<br /><ref>{{cite web|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=walker hayes|chart=Heatseekers Albums}}|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Heatseekers Albums|work=Billboard|access-date=November 5, 2014}}</ref>

| colspan="9" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart

! width="45"| [[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]<br /><ref name="Hot Country Songs">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/csi/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Country Songs|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Country Airplay|US Country Airplay]]<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/csa/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Country Airplay|work=Billboard|access-date=December 7, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br /><ref name="Hot 100">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/hsi/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Billboard Hot 100|work=Billboard|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Billboard charts|CAN Country]]<br /><ref name="Canada Country">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/ccw/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Canada Country|work=Billboard|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>

! width="45"| [[Canadian Hot 100|CAN]]<br /><ref name="CAN">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/can/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History – Canadian Hot 100|work=Billboard|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref>

| colspan="2"| 40 || — || — || — || — || —

| colspan="2"| 42 || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Pimpin' Joy"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pimpin-joy-single/id836042898|title=Pimpin' Joy – Single by Walker Hayes on Apple Music|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=April 25, 2017}}</ref>

| {{N/A}}

| 9 || 10 || 62 || — || 17 || 100 || —

*[[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]: 2× Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|artist=Walker Hayes|title=You Broke Up with Me}}

| — || 59 || — || — || — || — || —

| — || 52 || — || — || — || — || —

| {{n/a}}

| — || 56 || — || — || — || — || —

| {{n/a}}

| 1 || 1 || 3 || 42 || 3 || 9 || 31

*RIAA: 3× Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|artist=Walker Hayes|title=Fancy Like}}

*ARIA: Platinum<ref>{{cite certification|region=Australia|certyear=2022|access-date=February 7, 2022}}</ref>

| 28 || — || —{{efn-ua|"U Gurl" did not enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but peaked at number eight on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]] chart.<ref name="Bubbling">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/walker-hayes/chart-history/hbu/|title=Walker Hayes Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=January 5, 2022}}</ref>}} || — || — || — || —

| 6 || 15 || 41 || — || 27 || — || —

! scope="row"| "Dirty Side" <small>(with [[Colt Ford]])</small><ref>{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/colt-ford-dirty-side-video-trailer/|title=Colt Ford Releases Video Trailer for 'Dirty Side'|work=The Boot|access-date=December 12, 2017}}</ref>

| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/cmt-music-awards-2018-winners-8459715/|title=Here Are All the Winners From the 2018 CMT Music Awards|website=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=June 6, 2018|access-date=November 29, 2021}}</ref>

| "[[Fancy Like]]"

| "[[Fancy Like]]"

| {{pending}}

| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|last=Hudak|first=Joseph|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/2022-grammy-awards-country-nominees-1261820/|title=Chris Stapleton, Mickey Guyton Lead 2022 Country Grammy Nominees|website=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 23, 2021|access-date=November 29, 2021}}</ref>

| Himself

| {{pending}}

| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/kids-choice-awards-2022-nominations-hosts-miranda-cosgrove-rob-gronkowski-1234974061/|title=Kids' Choice Awards Nominations Set; Miranda Cosgrove & Rob Gronkowski To Host Show|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|author=Erik Pedersen|date=March 9, 2022|access-date=March 25, 2022}}</ref>

[[Category:21st-century American singers]]