Walker Hayes has a new song out, one that makes peace with so many of the divisive topics in the country right now, including religion, COVID-19, border policies and more. “Good With Me” is his way of shedding a different light on some of what has canceled friendships and alienated people groups, all in Hayes’ signature feel-good, humorous kind of way.
“This song is a lighthearted look at the walls and doors we’ve erected around each other and how that’s harming our social condition,” Hayes tells The Tennessean.
Hayes doesn’t necessarily have strong feelings about the myriad of subjects he touches on in “Good With Me,” but he does have a lot of feelings about focusing on what does matter the most to him: his family and his career in country music.
“I am a husband and country music songwriter with six kids and three dogs,” Hayes reflects. “I have enough occupations to fill my mental capacity each day adequately. I don’t think I can also absorb the news and have the ability to argue my opinions about that news on top of everything else I have going on in my life.”
Although sober, the Alabama native wishes that, instead of fighting and arguing, people wold stop and have a beer — figuratively or literally — and focus on what matters the most.
“We all need to sit and take a moment to drink a beer and keep it real,” Hayes says. “Putting someone’s divisive, polarizing opinions ahead of their humanity can lead to us dangerously dehumanizing them. It’s important that − whether it’s beer, coffee, playing catch, religion, work, or something − we discover ways to re-create face-to-face relationships with each other.”
Hayes, unfortunately, knows first-hand what it’s like to see his life on display for the world to see, which is why he is now so passionate about the message behind “Good With Me.”
“The exhaustive public expression of my life has allowed the world to witness me as an alcoholic and sober, an atheist and believer, poor and wealthy,” says the singer. “I’m not trying to heal the world with fairy tales, but I know I’m genuinely at a place where I feel I’m best as an arm around people’s shoulder if they need it.”
The world might have seen several version of Hayes, but so has his family. The 43-year-old recently praised his family for supporting him through the ups and downs of his life, of which there were many.
“They’ve seen many versions of their dad,’ Hayes tells Yahoo. “They’ve seen poor dad, ‘I can provide for my family’ dad. They’ve seen alcoholic dad, they’ve seen sober dad, they’ve seen didn’t know Jesus to know Jesus dad. You just love someone so much, but you can’t be perfect for them. We all just need a whole lot of forgiveness.”
Find music and tour dates at WalkerHayes.com.
Read ’12 Country Music Singers Who Are Sober’ here.