Hunter Hayes Biography

Hunter Easton Hayes (born September 9, 1991) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is signed to Atlantic Records Nashville, and released his self-titled debut album in October 2011. The album included the Top 20 country single "Storm Warning" and the number 1 singles "Wanted" and "Somebody's Heartbreak". A 2013 re-issue included the Top 5 single "I Want Crazy".

Life and career

Hunter Hayes was born on September 9, 1991, at Larniurg Hospital in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, as the only child to Lynette Hayes and Leo Hayes. He has Cajun ancestry, and grew up singing songs in both English and French. He began his musical career at 2 when his grandmother gave him a toy accordion. At 4, he began making appearances locally and on national television, including Maury, Rosie O'Donnell, and Nickelodeon's game show Figure It Out, where he performed "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" with Hank Williams Jr.. American Songwriter writes that "Hayes received his first guitar from actor Robert Duvall at age six" At 7, he was invited to perform for President Bill Clinton for a White House lawn party. At 13, he appeared on America's Most Talented Kids, a show hosted by Dave Coulier; he performed the hit Hank Williams song, "Hey Good Lookin'".

In 2008, he moved from Breaux Bridge to Nashville, Tennessee and signed with Universal Music Publishing Group as a songwriter. In 2010, co-wrote "Play" for the Rascal Flatts album Nothing Like This. In September 2010, he was signed to Atlantic Records Nashville and began working on what would become his major-label debut.

Hayes appeared as the opening act of ten dates of country star Taylor Swift's Speak Now World Tour throughout the summer of 2011 and concluded his leg of the tour in St. Louis, Missouri. In April 2011, he had gone on his own radio tour where he debuted songs that would appear on his debut album. His debut headlining tour was the Most Wanted Tour; the first leg of the tour began on October 8, 2011 in Beaumont and ended on December 4, 2011 in San Bernardino.

Hayes and actress/singer Victoria Justice contributed a duet to the soundtrack of 2011's Footloose remake, recording a cover of Mike Reno's and Ann Wilson's 1984 hit "Almost Paradise" from the original film. Hayes made a sneak appearance on the compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 41 with his song "Somebody's Heartbreak".

From January to February 2012, Hayes was the opening act on the Rascal Flatts "Thaw Out" tour.

"Where We Left Off" is an original song, written by Hayes, that can be heard on the soundtrack for the 2012 war film Act of Valor. During the 2012 O Music Awards, The Flaming Lips broke a Guinness World Record (previously held by Jay-Z) for most concerts played in multiple cities in a 24-hr. period. Hayes was the opening act for them at the Hattiesburg stop.

In May 2012, Martin Guitars named Hayes as C.F. Martin & Co.'s newest brand ambassador. American Songwriter quoted Hayes on the subject: "It is an absolute honor to be named an official Martin Ambassador and to be recognized by the Martin family."

On September 7, 2012, he was inducted at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame as its youngest member.

Hunter Hayes (2011"present)

The debut single was "Storm Warning", released to radio on May 16, 2011. His self-titled major-label debut album was released on October 11, 2011. He co-wrote every song, played every instrument, and along with Dann Huff, produced the album. "Wanted", the second single, was released to radio on March 5, 2012.

On July 24, 2012, he appeared on the CBS's, The Talk, where he was then given an RIAA Gold Certification plaque for "Wanted". Just shy of two months since "Wanted" went gold, the song was certified Platinum by RIAA on August 23, 2012.

"Wanted" became his first No. 1 single, making him the youngest solo male act to top Hot Country Songs, breaking the record set in 1973 by Johnny Rodriguez. Twenty weeks after first appearing in the top spot and under a new chart format, "Wanted" returned to the top spot. "Somebody's Heartbreak", the album's third single, went to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart.

Starting September 14, 2012, Hayes began appearing as the opening act on 90+ dates for Carrie Underwood's Blown Away Tour.

He was also nominated for 3 Grammys including Best New Artist at the 2013 Grammy Awards; he is the youngest male country artist to be nominated in all 3 categories for which he was nominated. The album's fourth single, "I Want Crazy", which is from the deluxe Encore edition, was released to country radio on April 7, 2013. It peaked at number two on the Country Airplay chart in August 2013.

Personal life

In his spare time, Hunter flies planes in hopes of obtaining a pilot license.

Filmography

• The Apostle, 1997, Child Accordionist
• Figure it Out, 1998, himself
• My Dog Skip, 2000, Accordion Boy
• Charlie's War, 2003, Montgomery

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions				Certifications	Sales
		US Country	US	CAN	UK Country
Hunter Hayes	Release date: October 11, 2011 Label: Atlantic Nashville Formats: CD, digital download	1	7	12	6	US: Platinum CAN: Gold	US: 979,000

Extended plays

Title	Details	Peak positions
		US Country
Hunter Hayes Live	Release date: October 16, 2012 Label: Atlantic Nashville Formats: CD, digital download	30

Independent albums

Title	Details
Through My Eyes	Release date: February 8, 2000 Label: Louisiana Red Hot Formats: CD, cassette
Make a Wish	Release date: November 6, 2001 Label: Sugar Town Formats: CD, cassette
Holidays with Hunter	Release date: November 2003 Label: Self-released Formats: CD
Honoring Our French Heritage	Release date: 2006 Label: Juicy Pear Productions Formats: CD
Songs About Nothing	Release date: October 20, 2008 Label: Whirlride Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions							Certifications	Sales	Album
		US Country	US Country Airplay	US	US Pop	US Adult	US AC	CAN
2011	"Storm Warning"	14	"?	78	"?	"?	"?	"?	US: Gold	US: 501,000	Hunter Hayes
2012	"Wanted"	1	"?	16	23	12	16	27	US: 3"? Platinum CAN: 2"? Platinum	US: 3,175,000
	"Somebody's Heartbreak"	7	1	54	"?	"?	"?	66	US: Gold	US: 772,000
2013	"I Want Crazy"	2	2	19	"?	"?	"?	14	US: Platinum CAN: Platinum	US:1,354,000	Hunter Hayes (Encore edition)
	"Everybody's Got Somebody but Me"A (featuring Jason Mraz)		38
""?" denotes releases that did not chart

• ^A Current single.

Other charted songs

Year	Single	Peak chart positions			Sales	Album
		US Country	US Country Airplay	US Country Digital
2013	"Go Tell It on the Mountain"	"?	60	"?		Non-album song
	"A Thing About You"	49	"?	40	US: 15,000	Hunter Hayes (Encore edition)
	"Better Than This"	"?	"?	46	US: 14,000
	"Light Me Up"	"?	"?	50	US: 13,000
	"In a Song"	"?	"?	52	US: 13,000
""?" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2011	"Storm Warning"	Brian Lazzaro
2012	"Wanted"	BIRDmachineBIRD
	"Somebody's Heartbreak"	Joel Stewart
2013	"I Want Crazy"	Ends

Other appearances

Year	Song	Appearance
2011	"Almost Paradise" (with Victoria Justice)	Footloose: Music from the Motion Picture
2012	"Where We Left Off"	Act of Valor: The Album
	"Light Me Up"	Road Trips and Guitar Picks
2013	"Can't Say Love"	Samsung Owner's Hub
	"Outstanding In Our Field" (Brad Paisley featuring Hayes on guitar)	Wheelhouse

Writing credits

Year	Song	Co-writer(s)	Artist(s)	Album
2010	"Play"	Katrina Elam, Bonnie Baker	Rascal Flatts	Nothing Like This
2012	"Here's Hope"	Luke Laird, Barry Dean	Jewel, Owl City, Jay Sean	Child Hunger Ends Here

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Result
2012	Academy of Country Music Awards	Best New Artist
	CMT Music Awards	USA Breakthrough Video of the Year "? "Storm Warning"
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Male Country Artist
		Choice Country Song "? "Storm Warning"
	Broadcast Music, Incorporated	Award Winning Song (Top 50) "? "Storm Warning"
	Country Music Association Awards	New Artist of the Year
	American Country Awards	Artist of the Year: New Artist
		Single of the Year: New Artist "? "Wanted"
		Music Video of the Year: New Artist "? "Wanted"
2013	55th Grammy Awards	Best New Artist
		Best Country Solo Performance "? "Wanted"
		Best Country Album "? Hunter Hayes
	Academy of Country Music Awards	New Male Vocalist of the Year
		Single Record of the Year "? "Wanted"
		Song of the Year "? "Wanted"
		Video of the Year "? "Wanted"
	Billboard Music Awards	Top Country Artist
		Top Country Song "? "Wanted"
	CMT Music Awards	Video of the Year "? "Wanted
		Male Video of the Year "? "Wanted"
		Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Male Country Artist
		Choice Country Song "? "I Want Crazy"