Walker Hayes and his wife, Laney, tragically lost their baby girl, Oakleigh Klover, in June, due to complications from birth. The singer-songwriter says his family, including wife Laney and six children, are doing as well as can be expected.
“I’m good,” Hayes tells PopCulture.com. “Laney’s healed up well and she is healthy, and we are happy. Our kids are happy, and they’re excited about this new adventure with this new song [’90’s Country’]. Getting back out on the road has been so healing. At first, when we lost Oakleigh, I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t want to write. I didn’t want to sing. I didn’t walk to talk to anybody.”
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Hayes took several weeks off to be with his family, resuming touring at the end of June. The life on the road unexpectedly became part of his healing process.
“After my first show I just quickly realized how blessed I was to have this occupation and to be able to just leave it all on a stage or on a piece of paper, and share it with people, and then get their feedback and their similar stories,” Hayes remarks. “We’re doing very well given the circumstances and we will not let what happened be in vain, there are very beautiful things that are happening already.”
On Hayes’ freshman boom. album, the Alabama native touched on personal topics, talking about his alcoholism in “Beer in the Fridge,” and his close friend with his recent single, “Craig.”
As he works on his upcoming sophomore album, Hayes isn’t afraid to get personal again, and promises songs about his grief journey on his second set of tunes.
“That’s what I do in my music,” Hayes insists. “It’s going to be just as personal. Hopefully I’m an even better writer. Hopefully I’m able to take some of the things that Laney and I, and my kids have gone through personally, and do an even better job of grabbing people out there and saying, ‘Hey you’re not alone.’
“It’s going to be personal,” he adds. “It’s going to be honest. There’s going to be specific details like there always is, but I am unable to do any different at this point.”
“90’s Country” is available for download on iTunes. Find a list of all of Hayes’ upcoming shows at WalkerHayes.com.
Photo Credit: Getty images/Scott Legato
