Biography

Hunter Hayes makes a great case for reincarnation. Close your eyes, and you hear the voice of a man who has been there. He is singing about life and love, all the while playing very accomplished traditional Cajun accordion. Open your eyes, and you see the cherubic countenance of a beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy. It sets the mind to wondering if his prodigious talent did not come to him from another time and place, springing full force into the small body of a child from Breaux Bridge, LA.

At ten years of age, Hunter Hayes can claim almost as many years of professional appearances at music festivals, on television, and in movies. Taking up the accordion at the age of two, the young musician has been astounding audiences since his public debut that same year. He sings in both English and the traditional French of his Cajun heritage. By the age of four, Hayes had recorded his first CD, Make a Wish, in which he proved he can set a dance groove and sing a love ballad with feeling. He was recognized as the Best New Cajun Artist by Offbeat magazine when he was five.

At his first appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival at the age of six, the audience became uncommonly quiet, seemingly in awe or almost frightened by the musical prowess of the young artist. Not only was he playing great music and singing, he was directing with authority the sound production of his set.

One listen and you know this is not a cutesy, child novelty act. This is a musician who can play with the best of the best, and does, from Steve Riley to Wayne Toups. Hayes has mesmerized U.S. presidents, Congress, and CNN audiences with his remarkable talents. He also appeared in the Robert Duvall movie The Apostle. He reportedly enjoys acting, but music remains his first love.

Hunter Hayes has taken up songwriting, and penned several of the tunes on his second CD, Through My Eyes, recorded when he was six. He wrote the title cut to express what life was like through the eyes of a small child, who observed the world but could not control it. Still under the watchful eyes of his parents, who accompany him on his appearances, Hayes has captured the angst of every young person longing for autonomy. Still, he seems more in charge than most people his age. With the many accomplishments in his short life, one can only conjecture where his guiding musical star will lead him next. ~ Rose of Sharon Witmer, Rovi