Born in Mobile, Alabama, Hayes balances being a certified country crossover star with being a devout family man. He explained that his success is largely due to his honesty, calling his song lyrics “really just journal entries from my life. They’re nothing more. I quit trying to write a song about Friday night that Jason Aldean might cut. I started writing songs about dollar stores, my kids, experiences with [wife] Laney. I just started writing about the truth because really that’s my expertise.” Hayes credits much of his success to his wife, who he says has more faith in his talents than he does. Get to know Walker Hayes’ wife and family, including their six kids!
Is Walker Hayes married?
Hayes is married to longtime love Laney Beville Hayes. They met as kids, dated, split, then reunited—and they’ve been together for 17 years now. The brunette beauty joined Walker at the American Music Awards in November 2021.
Does Walker Hayes have kids?
Hayes has three daughters and three sons: Lela, 15; Chapel, 13; Baylor, 11; Beckett, 9; Loxley, 7, and Everly, 5. Below, they’re all singing along to “Fancy Like!” Laney home schools their children, Hayes revealed, because childcare is simply too expensive for them otherwise.
Did Walker Hayes lose a child?
Walker and Laney Hayes lost a daughter in June 2018. Their seventh child, Oakleigh Klover, died shortly after birth as Laney suffered a uterine rupture. Laney’s own life was in jeopardy at the time, though she ultimately was okay. “‘What do I do? When Laney wakes up, how do I tell her? How am I the one to explain, it’s a girl, but you know, she died?’ I knew that was just going to crush Laney,” Walker recalled to PEOPLE of the heartbreaking day. While they will likely mourn their baby girl forever, the kindness of fans has helped them tremendously. “Laney and I have cried a lot, but one thing that makes me the happiest is how much love there has been around us,” he said. “We’ve had the most remarkable questions answered and advice given from people around our neighborhood and in meet-and-greet lines. People walk up to me and tell me their life, and it’s like, geez, thank you for sharing. I don’t even know these people.” He got a tattoo of his late daughter’s footprint. He wrote a song called “Don’t Let Her” after the life-or-death experience, writing from the perspective of a man beyond the grave giving advice to her potential new love. “I don’t want her to miss me. I mean, selfishly I do, but honestly, the last thing I want to do after Earth is watch from wherever I am and see Laney be paralyzed by grief,” he told PEOPLE. “I want to watch her smile, even though I’m not the one making her smile.” He added, “This is definitely one that has a lot of experience and tragedy and hurt poured into it, and not in such an obvious way, but it is there … When things are good, we know to just enjoy it because we know it’s not going to be like that, maybe not tomorrow.” Laney and their kids appear in the music video for the tune.
How old is Walker Hayes?
Born Dec. 27, 1979, Hayes will turn 42 this year.
How did Walker Hayes meet his wife?
Walker Hayes met Laney in elementary school, but it wasn’t until high school that they really connected. Laney recalled in an interview, “My true first memory of him is, we were doing rehearsals—this is after we’d already made the cast. He had a solo—well, he was a lead in it, so he had a lot of solos. He started singing the first part of his first solo. I remember looking down the aisle and going, ‘Who is that guy? That guy can sing!’ It was Little Shop of Horrors.” They tied the knot in 2004.
How did Walker Hayes get famous?
Hayes had a hard road to success with plenty of twists, turns, trials, and tribulations. He signed his first record deal and released his debut single “Pants” in 2010. The single broke the Top 60 Hot Country Songs chart. His debut album, Reason to Rhyme, was released in 2011, but ultimately didn’t chart. His label, Capitol Records, eventually dropped him, and he struggled so much that he worked nights at Costco to make ends meet for his family while pursuing his dream of being a country singer and songwriter. Hayes first rose to fame in late 2017 and early 2018 with his first top 10 hit, “You Broke Up With Me.” Ironically, the hit tune was actually about the country music industry, not an ex-girlfriend. The song was certified double platinum, and Hayes’ album, boom., was a hit, landing at No. 6 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 37 on the Billboard 200. In 2021, Hayes had a massive hit with “Fancy Like,” an ode to simplicity, Applebee’s, and low-maintenance love. TikTok spawned its success thanks to a video Hayes recorded with his daughter, Lela, doing a dance to the tune. That led to two remixes and, yes, an Applebee’s commercial! “Fancy Like” is currently double platinum, and will likely keep rising up the charts.
What state does Walker Hayes live in?
The Hayes family lives in Franklin, Tennesse, which is a suburb of Nashville.
Are Walker and Hunter Hayes related?
Nope! Despite the same last name and country stardom, Walker and Hunter Hayes do not share any branches of a family tree.
What school did Walker Hayes attend?
Hayes studied music (with a special focus on piano) at Birmingham–Southern College, graduating in 2002. Next, find out all of the 2022 Grammy nominees!
