Hunter Hayes Fan Site - The Citizen article

Here is a wonderful front page article on Hunter Hayes by Yvette Orozco of

The Citizen

the hometown paper of Pasadena, Texas as it appeared on May 16, 2008 two days before Hunter's amazing performance at The Pasadena Strawberry Festival.

THANKS YVETTE!!

05/16/2008
Strawberry Festival
By YVETTE OROZCO
yorozco@hcnonline.com

Hunter Hayes has been bringing his brand of regional music to audiences for several years
— living his dream.

Hayes is only 16 years old, but he has miles of traveling behind him and this weekend, he brings his music to Pasadena’s annual Strawberry Festival.

Headlining the festival’s entertainment, Hayes’ performance consists of original songs and classic covers: from Stevie Ray Vaughn to Sam Cooke.

Hayes’ repertoire began in Lafayette, La., with Cajun music and the accordion and took him to the national spotlight as a child prodigy who has performed with and in front of everyone from former President Bill Clinton to Charlie Daniels.

“I started out as a Cajun musician on the accordion so I like to pay tribute to that,” he said. “Being from this area, Cajun music is a natural.”

Hayes is set to release a new CD in the next several months, “Songs About Nothing,” and will be giving festival revelers a chance to hear a live preview within his set this weekend.

“It’s definitely going to be a blast,” he said.

Hayes has been touring since he was a child, but it’s always stayed weekend gig during the school year – as education still takes priority in his life.

But music is his future and that future was set from the very beginning, said Hayes.

“When I was 2 years old my grandmother gave me an accordion for my birthday so that kind of kick-started it,” he said.

Hayes did more than play air accordion as he became, at the age of four, an accomplished guest musician in “The Little Cajun Band,” a local group which consisted of young musicians from the age of four to 15.

Not content to settle on one instrument, Hayes added guitar, banjo, mandolin and several other instruments to his list.

As many of the young musicians in the “Little Cajun Band” drifted off, older, more professional musicians took their place and Hayes eventually became the group’s front man.

The group made a CD with two original songs by Hayes, who was then six, and one of those songs became a regional hit.

“I’ve been writing ever since,” he said.

While Cajun remains his first love, Hayes described his new material as a cross between Rascal Flatts and John Mayer.

“Even the most devout Cajun followers are starting to really follow the new music and that’s really exciting,” he said. “They’re jumping genres with us and enjoying every minute of it.”

Hayes and his music has already been featured in two films, “The Apostle” and “All the King’s Men,” but his heart remains in his role as a songwriter and live performer.

“My goal in my music is to be someone’s light through something,” he said. “My music is my connection with my audience and the live performances are just another avenue to reach people and to touch people’s lives.”