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Where Are They Now? Our 2017 Artists to Watch Update

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Here at New York Country Swag, we pride ourselves on being tastemakers, finding and championing new and up-and-coming artists and introducing our followers to the best of the best of the rising acts.  Back in 2017, we named the 10 artists below in our “Artists to Watch in 2017” and we are proud to say, we know rising talent before they make it big.  Check out what each of these artists has done over the past two years and what is coming up for them in 2019.

 

10. Seth Ennis – In 2017, Ennis released his debut EP, Mabelle, which featured his first single “Woke Up In Nashville” which put him on our radar early on.  Most recently he released a heartfelt song “Call Your Mama” which features Little Big Town and has garnered over a million streams on Spotify. The singer-songwriter joins Dylan Scott on tour which hits Gramercy Theatre on January 17th.  Grab your tickets here.

9. Trent Harmon – Harmon spent 2017 writing and working on his debut album, You Got Em All.   The American Idol winner of season 15 set out to prove to his fans and critics that he wasn’t just a competition winner that could sing covers but that he had something important to say with his songwriting.  We caught Harmon back in February in Nashville as he performed his single “You Got Em All” for radio programmers and the audience was blown away by his delivery of the breakup song. He told New York Country Swag during a recent interview:  “I had one job that day and that was to solidify myself a slot for the next year as a relevant up-and-coming artist in the country format,” which he certainly did.  We can’t wait to see what he has in store for fans in 2019.

 

8. High Valley – This Canadian duo since making our Artist to Watch list has toured the country on the Sirius XM The Highway Finds Tour and released brand new music, The Farmhouse Sessions which was recorded appropriately on a farm outside of Nashville. When we caught their infectious, high energy set a little over a year ago, the brothers, led the audience in a dance off and played their top 15 hit “She’s With Me” which elicited a crowd singalong.  The duo has tour dates booked through the new year, playing shows in the U.S as well as Canada. For all of the tour dates head to their website.

 

7. Runaway June –  The ladies of Runaway June are at such an exciting time in their career.  The week that New York Country Swag hosted them for a Live Swag Session, they had just announced they would be joining Carrie Underwood and Maddie and Tae on her Cry Pretty 360 Tour.  Since then they have also released their debut self-titled EP and their single “Buy My Own Drinks” is garnering plenty of spins on Spotify. Watch their performance and interview with New York Country Swag below and grab your tickets to see this powerhouse group of girls at Madison Square Garden on October 2nd, 2019.

 

6. Brett Young – Arguably the artist who has made it the biggest over the past two years, Young released his debut, self-titled album in February of 2017 and since then has had four no. 1 hits including “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Like I Loved You”, and “Mercy.”  His brand new single from his forthcoming album, “Here Tonight” is already Top 40 on the Country Radio Charts and steadily climbing. Young is coming to New York City on December 9th with Tyler Rich and drops his sophomore album, Ticket to L.A just two days prior.

 

5. Ryan Hurd – We highlighted Hurd’s incredible songwriting career back in 2017 however since then he has written and recorded songs for himself that have proved he isn’t just a songwriter anymore.  Recently he released two songs, “Diamonds or Twine” and “To A T” which were both inspired by another huge milestone Hurd has accomplished since 2017, he got married. Marrying fellow singer-songwriter and chart-topper Maren Morris earlier this year has given Hurd the opportunity to write about his love for her and when he sings those songs, his delivery and devotion is evident.  We are hoping for a full-length album in 2019 and will keep you posted about future tour dates heading our way.

 

4. Russell Dickerson –  We are proud to champion the very first artist that New York Country Swag ever featured at our very first event back in January of 2016 just a few weeks after our launch! Dickerson played on top of a bar at Libation, a New York City nightclub, the event was sold out long before he had signed his record deal with Triple Tigers.  Since previewing his music for 300 of our lucky followers and a handful of NYCS events later, Dickerson has garnered not one but two no. 1 songs on the Country Radio Charts.  His love song for his wife, “Yours”, made it to the top of the charts and appropriately was the title of his debut album which was released this time last year.  Most recently, his second single to radio “Blue Tacoma” took the top spot. He toured all summer with Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker, increasing his fanbase.  Looking to the new year, Dickerson is working on new music and will hopefully get back on the road. Take a look back at our Country Night with the rising superstar from September 2016 below.

 

3. Walker Hayes – In January of 2017 when our list was published, Hayes had only released his 8Tracks Vol. 1 and 2 to his fans, a unique take on the storytelling country music is so accustomed to.  Over the past two years, the lines of genres have blended, country music has sonically changed and become more fluid and no artist has benefitted more than Hayes.  His blend of hip-hop, R&B and pop all infuse with country lyrics and have created a sound that is undeniable all his own.  We hosted Hayes earlier this year for a Live Swag Session after he released his major label debut album boom. and garnered plenty of success with his debut radio single “You Broke Up With Me”. He just released a new single, “90’s Country” which name-drops 22 different 90’s country songs that Hayes tells us in a recent interview, influenced him growing up and is the first of new music we can look forward to in the new year.  Watch the Live Swag Session from April below.

 

2. Luke Combs –  Another artist who had huge success since 2017, Combs released not only a debut album but a deluxe version with five additional songs.  The album entered the Billboard charts 73 weeks ago and continually makes its way back to the top of the charts, including this week where he holds the top spot for not only album but also the top song with “She Got The Best of Me” at no. 1 for the second week in a row. This marks the fourth chart-topper for Combs, previously he landed the top spot with “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” and “One Number Away”.  He joined Jason Aldean this summer on his High Noon Neon Tour which made its way to Madison Square Garden in August.  The sold-out crowd knew every word to each of his songs, even the deep album cuts proving that the country crooner has grown his fan base so wide and is here to stay.

 

1. Drake White – White’s ability to captivate a crowd during his live performances landed him an opening spot on Zac Brown Band’s tour and at festivals across the country. He just released five new songs in an EP titled Pieces which highlights his signature groove and sultry vocals. Next year he is heading overseas to play the C2C Country to Country Festival in Glasgow along with Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, and Lady Antebellum.

 

Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for an update on all of the artists we named to watch in 2018 and then coming soon, our 2019 Artist to Watch list.

 

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Shane McAnally Stars as Judge in New Competition Show ‘Songland’

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Songland

Nashville’s very own Shane McAnally is no stranger when it comes to working with talent in Music City. Whether it is working with top musicians like Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Kacey Musgraves or discovering talent in new artists like Walker Hayes, McAnally finds it.

NBC announced last week a new songwriter series called ‘Songland’. The competition show will give a one-of-a-kind chance for up-and-coming songwriters to gain exposure and receive feedback from three music producers who collectively have a hand in today’s biggest songs on the radio. The show first contacted McAnally three years ago about being a part of the show and he jumped on the opportunity. McAnally mentioned in his Instagram that he “…loved the concept instantly and am so proud to say that 3 years later…we are greenlit!!

In each episode, five songwriters will get the opportunity to perform their original songs in front of major music producers. Each song will then go up against a panel that will take into account the beats, melody, lyrics, and the song’s story for an overall review. The top song will then be given the opportunity to be released as a single for one of music’s largest superstars. Alongside McAnally will be OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder and Charlie Puth working together to find the next hit songwriter.

If you are a songwriter looking for a big break the show is now looking for submissions at SonglandCasting.com. They are taking in all kind of genres so if you consider yourself Pop, Rock, Country, Blues, or Indie they are looking for you! While there is still no word on when the series is set to air if you love finding new talent be sure to check Songland out!

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Walker Hayes Goes Live on YouTube to Release “90’s Country” Video

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Walker Hayes 90's Country

Walker Hayes at The Vault in Nashville

Walker Hayes celebrated the release of the music video for “90s Country” unlike any other artist has done before. He celebrated the premiere with fans and friends broadcasting live on Youtube at The Vault in Downtown Nashville.

He sang three of his songs “Dollar Store,” “90s Country,” and of course his hit “You Broke Up With Me”. He also answered some fan questions involving some of his favorite 90’s artists, fashion trends, and questions about the music video. He explained the writing process of “90s country” and the idea of how he came up with it.

“I and a girl named LRYX started the co-write. I kind of hand it to her because it wasn’t much of an idea except for the words “90’s country”. I think we left that day with the lyrics ‘You make me feel like 90’s country’ and the ‘Do you love me if you do’ part and the ‘Tractor’s Sexy’. After that, it took about two years to track it to make it what it is. I thought one of the co-writers, Shane McAnally, was going to break up with me because of how long it took,” Hayes laughed. “I’m just a product of the 90’s and I have this argument with myself all the time, was the music that great? Or were we just kids? The titles that I did mention, I hear those titles and I immediately go back to a place. I know where I was living, who I was with, and I just remember all those sweet moments and we hoped everybody did too when they listened.”

The music video was directed by Alex Alvga and shot on Old Hickory Lake just outside of Nashville. Hayes wanted the video to take him back to his own hometown feelings of growing up in the 90’s. He said he felt more comfortable this time around for this video because he was surrounded by family, friends, and his band.

In addition, Hayes announced he’s heading out on his first European tour with Old Dominion. Make sure you continue to check his website for dates and ticketing information. Check out Hayes’ new music video “90s Country” below.

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Walker Hayes Challenges Little Big Town, Lindsay Ell & Kelsea Ballerini

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Walker Hayes, #90sCountryChallenge

Walker Hayes, #90sCountryChallenge

Singer-songwriter Walker Hayes’ newly released single, “90’s Country” is quickly becoming a fan favorite. In our exclusive interview with Hayes, we learned how therapeutic the writing process was for the singer, as well as, the creative and unique techniques used in crafting the perfect lyrics. The track encompasses twenty-two 90’s country songs, giving listeners a fresh take on some classic hits.

To showcase how special the song is, the entertainer introduced his Instagram followers to a new and fun challenge, #90sCountryChallenge, with hopes to incite country music stars and fans alike to join in. Hayes kicked off the challenge with his rendition of “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” by Sammy Kershaw, encouraging fans to participate by tagging a friend to cover their favorite country song from the 90s.

Lindsay Ell Responds to Walker Hayes #90sCountryChallenge

Lindsay Ell Responds to Walker Hayes #90sCountryChallenge

The singer-songwriter nominated fellow country musicians, Little Big Town, Lindsay Ell, and Kelsea Ballerini. So far, Ell has accepted the challenge, covering what she deemed her “favorite country song from the 90s,” Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine.” Doused in a black and white filter, fans can see the songstress’ amazing cover on her Instagram. Ell tagged fellow country music females, Cassadee Pope, Maren Morris, and Raelynn, challenging the women to participate in the challenge.

[[UPDATE: (Saturday, 9.29.18)] – Little Big Town has responded to Hayes’ challenge posting a flawless cover of Shenandoah’s “Ghost in This House” on their Instagram. In the post captioned, “Back At Ya @WalkerHayes #90sCountryChallenge…” The group tagged Ashley Monroe, Kelleigh Bannen and Madison Ryann Ward, challenging the artists to get involved. So far, both Lindsay Ell and Little Big Town have responded to Walker Hayes’ original challenge post. With only one artist remaining, Kelsea Ballerini. ]

Little Big Town Responds to Walker Hayes #90sCountryChallenge

Little Big Town Responds to Walker Hayes #90sCountryChallenge

Many fans have took it upon themselves to cover their own favorite 90s country song, in honor of Hayes’ single. Here at NYCountry Swag, we encourage you to check out the singer’s Instagram and tag some of your favorite artists in the challenge, maybe even participate yourself!

Next up for the singer, he will return to New York City for his headlining show at Mercury Lounge on October 9th, just before joining Old Dominion overseas in Europe for the ‘Happy Endings’ Fall Tour. Find tickets for Hayes’ NYC show here.

Don’t Miss our LIVE Swag Session with Walker Hayes from New York City’s Refinery Rooftop. Check it out in the video below…

 

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Exclusive Interview: Walker Hayes Chats About “90’s Country”

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Walker Hayes 90's Country

Walker Hayes has released his newest single “90’s Country” which marries his progressive and modern twist on the genre with twenty-two classic songs that have influenced the singer-songwriter and most country fans from an era of music that will never grow old. In a recent chat with New York Country Swag, Hayes lets us in on the decision to drop “90’s Country” as well as the writing process that took place with critically acclaimed songwriter and producer Shane McAnally and LYRX.

The most interesting part of the idea behind “90’s Country” is the duality of meaning it brings to the fans across the country and specifically here in New York.  On one hand, fans of country music who grew up listening to Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Joe Diffie, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain and all of the other artists referenced in the track, there is a wave of nostalgia that runs over you.  For New Yorkers and fans who live in New York, country music hasn’t always been accessible to us.  For seventeen years the New York and the metro area did not have a radio station playing current country music, so in order to keep up with what was popular in the country music world, prior to streaming and Spotify, you had to go out and buy CDs.  For many fans especially the younger generation of New York country fans, they are hearing these references for the very first time, possibly now choosing to seek out the generation of country music that is so revered everywhere else around America.

Piecing together songs of the past while still creating an entirely new song is no easy task and Hayes explains it was written over months of texts and arguments back and forth. On his debut album boom. each track was authentic to his story, sometimes dark and always personal so when it came to “90’s Country” he was experimenting with a new side of songwriting. “It was such a unique song for me because most of my stuff, actually, 100% of my stuff is personal experience, I just dredge for feelings and emotions and thoughts and details from the emotion that is inside of me and that is the vocabulary I am allowed to use, otherwise I feel like if I select stuff outside of my experience the song begins to become too written,” he explains.  But after releasing “Craig” which although it is an inspiring, real story, it is heavy, he felt he wanted to give his fans something lighter, something different. “I told my team I just want to put out something fun, infectious and when it’s over you have to press rewind and something you want to learn the words too.”

It wasn’t until 2004 when Hayes decided to pursue a music career and to make it his full-time job, therefore, he was able to grow up with music, soak it all in without dealing with the politics and business that come along with making the career choice. “I was able to be a teenager and experience all of those firsts with music constantly in my life, but not yet a business or a dream, because those 90’s country songs influenced me so much without me even knowing,” he tells us.  “Looking back now as someone who writes every day for a living to provide for my family, it’s incredible to look back and realize I was in 7th grade listening to and experiencing deep lyrics like Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take the Girl”,  and I was just loving it, pressing repeat. Who knew 20 years down the road I would be hopefully writing songs that people would be doing the same thing to in the car.”

Although the process of writing this song took a long time he is thrilled with the finished product. “It maintains my musical perspective while at the same time, throwing it back to my favorite songs,” he explains.  “I’ve been so happy with the reaction it was really tedious but also therapeutic, it was like we put a puzzle together. I feel like this was a good move for me, it sets up a new album and new music in general. We are really glad we spent all of the time we did on it.”

Hayes will join Old Dominion on their Happy Endings Fall Tour which heads overseas stopping in Dublin and the UK for several dates. “I am really looking forward to going back because they are such a unique listener over there, they are very attentive,” he tells us. “They listen to full-length albums they love the material, which is an artists dream.”

Hayes joined us for a Live Swag Session back in April. He returns to New York City this October and country fans can grab tickets to his headlining show at Mercury Lounge on October 9th before he heads overseas.

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songs

5 Of The Best Name-Dropping Songs in Country Music

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As a genre, country music has never been one to shy away from calling out its heroes in song. In fact, there are tons of country songs that drop the names Willie, Waylon, Hank, and George. Some newer artists will shout out Kenny or Keith or Carrie, but lately, we’ve been noticing a new trend in our favorite tunes. Rather than mention an artist by name, some of country’s hottest stars are mentioning their songs or their favorite lyrics in those songs.

In his song, “Raised by the Radio,” Mitch Rossell says, “Nothing reminds you of who you are like hearing a song that reminds you of where you’ve been,” and we couldn’t agree more. Here at NYCountrySwag, it was Walker Hayes’ new track “90’s Country” the inspired this list, so here are some of our favorite country songs that namedrop other country songs.

Walker Hayes – 90’s Country: Walker Hayes’ most recent release “90’s Country” is a prime example of the trend, artfully mentioning 22 different songs within its lyrics. Written by Hayes, Shane McAnally, and David Garcia, Hayes cleverly flows from famous song titles to famous lyrics in his signature spoken-country style. He mentions songs we love, songs we forgot, and songs we want to listen to immediately. Some of the most famous songs Hayes mentions from arguably the best decade of country music include: “Strawberry Wine,” “Amazed,” “Check Yes or No,” “Friends in Low Places,” and “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” Some songs you may have forgotten about (or never heard!) that Hayes drops into this track include “Vidalia,” “Daddy’s Money,” “Wink,” “Jukebox Junkie,” and “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer.” To give a listen to Hayes’ “90’s Country” and all the songs that inspired it, check out his fantastic Spotify playlist here.

Old Dominion – Song for Another Time: Like “90’s Country,” musical mastermind Shane McAnally had a role in “Song for Another Time,” co-producing the track written by Old D’s Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey, and Trevor Rosen, along with Matt Jenkins. The song was the band’s second number 1 on the Country Airplay chart, telling the story of a breakup through song titles. On the track, Old Dominion calls out over twenty songs, including country classics like “Marina Del Rey,” “Small Town Saturday Night,” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” in addition to other genre’s classics like “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Paradise City,” and “Candle in the Wind.”

Lady Antebellum – And the Radio Played: While Lady Antebellum’s “And the Radio Played” wasn’t a huge hit for the band, being released as a track on the deluxe edition of their album, Golden, it still deserves a place on the list. Written by Lady A. with Josh Kear and Nathan Chapman, the song takes listeners on a musical journey through the decades, with the first chorus hitting the oldies, the second hitting the 1990’s, and the third touching on the 2000’s. Songs referenced in the first chorus include “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” “Smoky Mountain Rain,” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” while the second chorus introduces “the Dance,” “Strawberry Wine,” “Does He Love You?,” and “Amazed.” Lastly, the third chorus is like listening to SiriusXM’s Y2Kountry channel, mentioning hits like “I Hope You Dance,” “Before He Cheats,” “The House That Built Me,” and “Don’t Blink.”

Mitch Rossell – Raised by the Radio: Mitch Rossell has become known for being Garth Brooks’ protege, and the man responsible for writing one of Brooks’ most recent #1 hits, “Ask Me How I Know.” With just an acoustic guitar, Rossell opened for Brooks’ sold-out, world tour, performing a slew of songs including “Raised by the Radio.” The track recalls songs that “raised his glass,” “saved his life,” and “even helped him get lucky a few times.” Some of the songs mentioned in this song include “Blue Clear Sky,” “She’s in Love with the Boy,” “Life is a Highway,” “Walk the Line,” “Love Like Crazy,” and “Live Like You Were Dying.”

Brad Paisley – This is Country Music: On “This is Country Music,” Brad Paisley discusses the merits that make country music unique, it’s genre-bending rules challenging societal norms. “It ain’t hip to sing about tractors, trucks, little towns, or mama, yeah that might be true, but this is country music, and we do,” Paisley sings, the song ending as a tribute to country music. In the last minute of the song, Paisley mentions a ton of country classics, including “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “Amarillo by Morning,” “Stand By Your Man,” and “God Bless the USA.”

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Throwback to “90’s Country” with Walker Hayes’ GMA Performance.

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We had some fun with Nashville’s rising country star, Walker Hayes earlier this year when he joined New York Country Swag at The Refinery Rooftop for a signature Swag Session. Now, he is in New York City again to premiere his latest single on national television.

Our favorite country music dad, took the stage at Good Morning America earlier today, to perform his new single, “90’s Country,”. With a band to support him, Hayes utilized his signature swagger, as he sang the cheeky yet nostalgic lyrics to his soon-to-be hit. Our favorite part is the way that Hayes references some of the best 90’s country songs while still keeping his unique and modern twist on country music.

Hayes co-wrote “90’s Country” with Shane McAnally and LYRX, as well as co-produced the song with McAnally and David Garcia.  The track itself showcases the songwriter’s play on words and pays homage to classic country songs, such as Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places”, Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It” and Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.”

The crowd at GMA seemed to love the clever lyrics, as they clapped along throughout the entire performance. Hayes continued to entertain the fans by putting down his guitar, and showing off some dance moves, as he moved around the stage. See the performance below.

 

The single is available for streaming or download across all major music platforms, here.

Hayes, who we named an ‘Artist to Watch’ back in 2017, will continue to play in cities across the United States throughout September and October. He embarks on his first European trek as a part of Old Dominion’s extended 2018 Happy Endings Tour, which starts in Dublin, Ireland on October 31st and continues through November 10th. Find a full list of tour dates on his website here and keep checking our calendar to see if the singer adds any New York dates to the lineup.

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Walker Hayes Shares Thank You Letter About New Single, “Craig”

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If you haven’t heard Walker Hayes’ brand new single “Craig” yet, you should take a listen to the song that wasn’t originally meant for anyone to hear but Craig and his family.  Yesterday, Hayes shared on his Instagram a very personal thank you to his team and to everyone who has supported the song since his decision to put it on his debut album Boom. Click here to see the Instagram post, below are the incredible words he wrote regarding the song and his team for encouraging him to release it.

 

Walker Hayes Craig Letter via Instagram

Walker Hayes Craig Letter via Instagram

From Walker: 

“just a ripped out draft…help me clean it up

I felt a responsibility as an artist to put “Craig” out as my second single.
I know it’s not the easiest option for country radio to play…
I know it takes a listen or two for people to embrace the message…
I know it is alarmingly different and stylistically polarizing…
But it’s the truth…and every time I sing it, I mean it…I feel it…and I know it means something to someone listening.

It took me about 3 months to write “Craig.”
My sole intention was to say “thank you” to Craig for all that he means to my family and me.
I personally struggle with expressing emotions of love or gratitude to other guys…
It is very awkward and forced when I say “I love you” to my dad or my brothers…
I’m not sure why…it’s just always been like that…
I had told Craig thank you many times and that we loved him and his family, but it was always followed with a joke or a quick subject change…
This song was my thank you note.

The lyrics to “Craig” are exactly how the story went down.
Every line is the truth.
The church really is called Redeeming Grace…
I really did smell like beer…
We really did lose our van…
And Craig really did show up at the ballpark “after my sons game one night in two cars with his wife Laura watchin’ from the other…”

There’s at least 3 pages of story that didn’t make it in the song.
There was an entire verse about how…from the stage…I could always see Craig in the back of the bar…talking someone’s ear off.
I knew every time he was telling them how amazing he thought I was…how well I could write…that I’d be playing stadiums one day…
here was also a verse about how Craig wasn’t rich…how his gesture truly was a sacrifice for his family to make by offering me their own van.
There was so much to the story that I wanted to share…

Craig and his wife, Laura, appreciated the song so much…
They listened to it in their car in a movie theater parking lot and cried together.
Craig’s first text to me after hearing the song was…”speechless”
Craig and Laura didn’t play it for anyone.  That’s how humble they are.
They never told anyone they had given us a van. Not a soul.
Even Craig’s twin brother had no idea they had helped us.
The song was meant to be a gift for their ears only.  A thank you in song form.

But everything changed when I played the song for my producer, Shane McAnally.
He insisted that it go on the album and I was shocked…
The song is so specific and personal I wondered who could relate…
We took the original version and added an intro to it…
We were all “speechless” when the final edit was 3 minutes and 16 seconds long…
3:16.
I know…goosebumps right…

The reactions to “Craig” have spoken…
I’ve met countless people who are reminded of the “Craig’s” in their lives.
I’ve met countless people who are inspired to be like Craig.
I’ve met countless people who have been inspired by the song to give cars to families in need, pay it forward, adopting children, etc. in response to the song.
It’s crazy what the story of Craig and me is causing…
And as an artist…that’s what it’s all about…
Telling the world about things that change us…
That’s why I had to put this song out.

Craig and his family and their example mean everything to me.
I needed them.  I must tell y’all about em.
I want to introduce them to everyone.

I think my kids were safe cuz Craig was saved.”

 

The New York Country Swag team was honored to have Walker Hayes play a Swag Session with us recently when he was in town opening for Kelsea Ballerini.  Check out the full video below where Hayes gives even more of a backstory about “Craig” and grab the single here.

 

 

 

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