Hayes Carll
Hayes Carll delivers songs born of baptism-by-fire experience, world weary observations and sharp wit. While his songs draw from Texas songwriting heroes such as Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Carll has managed to put a stamp on his music that is truly his own.
As a performer, Carll’s clever anecdotes, genuine sincerity and self-deprecating humor invites listeners in to his world. His confidence and charisma are second only to the quality of his songwriting. Audiences relate to his songs because he sings to them as friends, immediately breaking down any barrier that might normally exist between the stage and audience.
In May of 2009, Hayes Carll's Stingaree Music Festival celebrated the return of the Bolivar Peninsula. The area, still recovering from the devastating results of a direct hit from hurricane Ike, also welcomed the return of a hometown hero. To thank the Peninsula for their continued support, all profits from the festival were donated to the Bolivar Peninsula Economic Relief fund.
After releasing two albums independently, Flowers And Liquor and the acclaimed sophomore record Little Rock, singer/songwriter Hayes Carll found a home at Lost Highway.
On April 8, 2008, his debut for Lost Highway, Trouble In Mind, was released. The album showcased a collection of songs that blend some of the finest elements of folk, country and rock with brainy, quirky lyrics. Since the release of Trouble In Mind, Carll has toured non-stop, both with and without his band. Along the way he’s made many friends and fans who truly appreciate his craft, humor, attitude, opinions and even his compassion.
In September of 2008, Carll won SONG OF THE YEAR at the 7th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards for his satirical “She Left Me For Jesus". He also received a nomination for ARTIST OF THE YEAR. In December of 2008, Hayes Carll appeared and performed on Imus In The Morning where Don Imus called “She Left Me For Jesus” the “greatest country song ever.”
As a result of Carll’s patience and hard work, Trouble In Mind was the #1 R&R Americana Album of 2008. It also received recognition from Amazon, being awarded the #1 Country album and #9 Overall album for 2008.
Trouble In Mind has received consistently high-praise in the press, including glorious reviews on three different NPR programs (All Things Considered, Fresh Air and The Bryant Park Project). Here’s what some others have had to say:
"He has a voice as tough and relentless as a late-night Lone Star brawl and a lyric sensibility worthy of an M.F.A. creative-writing seminar." -The New Yorker.com
“Hayes Carll is the traveling Texas troubadour for today's X Generation… He's the snarky slacker with a heart of pure Kerouac. He's a modern storyteller's dream, wrapped in a cloak of country-folk charm.” -Tulsa World
“Hayes Carll is an inheritor of the Texas songwriting tradition that includes Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. He’s highly romantic and highly literary – and, sometimes, it seems, just plain high. But he lives up to his lofty antecedents – singing in a drawl that’s as sexy as it is smart, and writing songs that are as charmingly self-deprecating as they are self-mythologizing.” -Anthony DeCurtis,
***1/2 (out of 4) –USA Today ***1/2 (out of 4) –People **** -MOJO
“The creator of one of the year’s best country albums thus far….”
Grade A -Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly
“…a familiar Type-A mush mouthed drawler who’s smarter about the beat than his shambling ways would make your think and funnier than shit when he wants to be, which is often.” **** -Robert Christgau, Blender
“…his songs are full of hard-drinking, hard-loving, hard-luck characters. But he’s no stumblebum in his songwriting.” -Jon Pareles, New York Times
Take a step into the world of Hayes Carll and find out what many already know and many others are about to discover.
