Hunter Hayes

The Country Music Association’s choice as the best New Artist of 2012 earned his trophy because of his intense, single-minded dedication to his music.

Hunter Hayes works at his craft virtually every waking hour. In his world, there are no days off. There are no hobbies or outside interests. Everything is focused on musical self-improvement.

“With me, it’s always going to be music,” he states. “That’s the one thing I know. That is my thing. That is my place. I make music because it’s the only way I can breathe. This is how I want to spend the rest of my life.”

His laser-like focus has resulted in an album that is the talk of the country-music community. He wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on "Hunter Hayes." He co-produced it. He sings all the vocals, and he plays all of the 30-some instruments heard on the record.

The barn-burning “Storm Warning” became the collection’s debut Gold Single. His gripping ballad “Wanted” soared to No. 1 and is quickly nearing Double Platinum status, lilting, groove-soaked “Somebody’s Heartbreak” has become the album’s third major hit -- becoming a Top 30 hit in only two weeks and was most added week of release.

Despite his youth, he already has a lifetime of musical experience. The Louisiana native began picking up various instruments when he was only two years old. At age four, he joined his first band. He took his accordion on stage and sang “Jambalaya” with Hank Williams Jr. that year, too. At age six, he was cast in the Robert Duvall film "The Apostle." The actor gave Hayes his first guitar. Hunter recorded his first album when he was nine and his second at the age of 10.

“Being an only child absolutely helped,” he says of his extraordinarily youthful development. “I credit a lot to that. It gave me more time to be alone and spend more time with the art."

Hunter Hayes spent his early teenage years playing shows and making two more albums. That is also when he began to develop as a songwriter.

During his high-school years, his parents began taking him on trips to Nashville. Gradually, a team of supportive entertainment-industry insiders began to form around the youngster in Music City. He found interest from a manager, a song publisher, a record label and a producer during those trips. When his mother found out about a correspondence course that her son could take to complete his senior year, the family moved to Nashville in 2008.

“I made a promise to myself that as soon as I finished that course, I was going to write at least a song a week,” Hayes recalls. “In fact, that first week, I wrote a song every day. As soon as I finished that course, I was in the song-publishing office at least once a week, writing with somebody.”

"Songs About Nothing," an independent record where he played all the instruments on himself, was an example he used with Atlantic Records and producer Dann Huff that he could “do it all” on his debut major-label effort.

When “Storm Warning” appeared as the debut "Hunter Hayes" single, Taylor Swift chose him as her opening act. So did Rascal Flatts, to whom Hayes gave his song “Play.”

Since the release of "Hunter Hayes," the singer-songwriter has embarked on a blitzkrieg of television appearances. He has sung on "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Good Morning America," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "The Talk," "E! News" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." One highlight was his appearance on the ABC-TV special The CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, performing “Wanted” surrounded by 50,000 fans.

Along the way, he also picked up a Teen Choice Award as the Male Country Artist of the Year, earned a No. 1 video with “Wanted,” won a BMI songwriting award for “Storm Warning” and was a nominee at both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards. He was also chosen to sing the National Anthem at a New Orleans Saints game. Now comes "Hunter Hayes Live," an EP that captures his style as an on-stage entertainer.

“There’s an energy that happens live. That’s where I’m most myself. There is nothing as honest as my live performance. That is what I live for every day.

“When I get on stage, that’s my home. That’s my element, and I’m not shy anymore. That’s where I’m comfortable. Getting to play live every night, that’s what I’ve always dreamed about.

“I’m blessed beyond belief.”