Hayes Carll

Hayes Carll, who works as both a singer and a songwriter, crafts a rootsy sound that incorporates rock & roll's playful swagger, country's relatable storytelling, and folk's thoughtful introspection. Equal parts at home with tales of boozy debauchery and strained relationships, he advanced within the Americana ranks after surfacing in the early 2000s, achieving his breakthrough while remaining an independent artist who retained an everyman perspective despite attracting a broad listenership. The self-released Little Rock from 2005 delivered both commercial and critical impact, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) in 2011 along with Lovers and Leavers in 2016 received broad recognition among his strongest releases, and You Get It All in 2021 reflected a shift toward a purer country direction.

Joshua Hayes Carll entered the world in Houston on January 9, 1976. The future singer and songwriter obtained his initial guitar at age 15 and promptly started composing material shaped by Bob Dylan, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, and the Beat-era writings of Jack Kerouac, influences that persisted in his developed approach to songwriting. Upon earning a history degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, in 1998, Carll headed back to Texas and settled in Crystal Beach, where he performed original songs in neighborhood bars. Following a period in Austin, he came home again and resumed playing shows around Galveston and Houston, building a dedicated local following.

He joined Compadre Records and issued his first album, Flowers and Liquor, in 2002, earning favorable comparisons to Townes Van Zandt. After declining an offer from Sugar Hill Records, Carll put out Little Rock on his own Highway 87 Records in 2005; produced by R.S. Field, the record topped the Americana charts. In 2006 he moved to Universal Music's roots-music imprint Lost Highway Records, which released Trouble in Mind two years later. His sharp, witty lyrics took on a pronounced ironic edge, notably in the co-written "She Left Me for Jesus" with Brian Keane. His profile rose further when four songs appeared in the 2010 film Country Strong, starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

Established by then as a next-generation Texas voice and writer in the vein of Lone Star figures such as Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Ray Wylie Hubbard, Carll delivered a follow-up for Lost Highway, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories), in 2011. The title derives from military slang shorthand for "Kiss My Ass Guys, You're on Your Own." The project captured the Americana Music Association's Album of the Year award and appeared on multiple year-end best-of lists from various outlets. Carll and Lost Highway ended their association the next year; around the same time he and his wife divorced, prompting him to reassess his path while staying near Austin and continuing regular tours across the U.S. and Europe. A windfall arrived in 2014 when Lee Ann Womack recorded his song "Chances Are" and achieved a minor hit; the track, Womack, and Carll each earned Grammy nominations in 2015 for Best Country Solo Performance, and Womack's album The Way I'm Livin' also received a nod for Best Country Album.

Carll unveiled the single "The Love That We Need" in January 2016, co-written with Allison Moorer and Jack Ingram. The track previewed his fifth studio album, Lovers and Leavers, produced by Joe Henry and released the following April on Hwy 87 Records via Thirty Tigers. He then teamed with the roots-focused independent Dualtone Records for What It Is in 2019, produced by Allison Moorer alongside bassist and recording engineer Brad Jones. That year Carll and Moorer married.

During early 2020 quarantine, Carll revisited his catalog and released the results as Alone Together Sessions that August, featuring appearances by Ray Wylie Hubbard and Allison Moorer. Moorer returned to the studio alongside Kenny Greenberg to produce his subsequent effort, the country-leaning You Get It All in 2021, which included a guest vocal from Brandy Clark. A video accompanied one track, "Help Me Remember," doubling as a public service announcement for Alzheimer's disease awareness.