There’s a great story about Hayes Carll which emerged in an interview from last year. He told his Mom he wanted to be a folk singer.
‘You can’t do that,’ she said. ‘When Hayes asked why she explained: ‘Two reasons. First, you grew up in the Woodlands. What are you going to write about? There aren’t enough towels at the country club?’ Hayes countered, ‘OK, that’s a valid point. What’s the other reason?’ ‘You don’t have a butt. To be a country singer, you have to have a butt. You need to sit down and be a folk singer.’ And yet, as Hayes himself gladly pointed out, ‘Against the odds and here I am with a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song of the Year.’That Grammy nod was for his beautiful song, Chances Are performed by Lee Ann Womack. We’ll get a chance to hear that on the show this week.
He wasn’t sitting down a few months ago at the CCA where he played with his travelling musicians and delighted the Glasgow audience by bringing his new significant other – one Alison Moorer – onstage for 3 songs. Bumping into Kevin Morris from The Fallen Angels Club who promoted the Hayes show the other day he smiled when I reminded him off the gig in question. ‘I think that’s the best night we’ve had in a while, ‘ he told me. He isn’t wrong. There’s a deep truth in Hayes Carll’s new work and all of that was evident on that magical evening back in April.
The next morning in our AC studios I picked up from where the gig left off and got to ask him all the questions which hung in the air after such a warm, intimate show. Songs about Lovers and Leavers, Friends, Driving and one very special story about his son The Magic Kid.
It’s a song written for his son but all of it might well apply to himself.
And I may get it wrong or get it right
But either way I’m standing in the light
Where nothing is hid
I’m the magic kid
Everything is there and all is revealed in Hayes Carll’s songs
But in case you’re worrying; a night in listening to Hayes on the radio will never be dull. This, after all, is the man who gave us the great ‘She Left Me For Jesus.’ ‘The problem with irony,’ as Hayes so eloquently put it that night, ‘Is not everyone gets it.’ However we have confidence you will really enjoy the songs and the conversation of Hayes Carll in session on a very special Another Country.
Listen out too for some new music for Look Park, Jesse Malin, Joana Serrat, Morgan Delt and our own tribute to the late Scotty Moore.
We’ll have another Merle Moment as we work our way through all the Hag‘s No 1 songs. We’ll anticipate the return of Sturgill Simpson and remind you that Lucinda Williams is in town this week. It all starts at five past nine this Tuesday on BBC Radio Scotland. Join me if you can.
