Joshua Hayes Carll (born January 9, 1976),[2] known professionally as Hayes Carll, is an American singer-songwriter. A native of Houston, Texas,[3] his style of country, folk, and roots-oriented songwriting is noted for his plain-spoken poetry and sense of humor.
Carll spent the early years of his career performing cover songs for tips in the bars of Crystal Beach, Texas, located on the Bolivar Peninsula. In 2000, he discovered The Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston—a small yet prestigious venue run by Wrecks Bell, the longtime bassist for Townes Van Zandt. Carll began working as a bartender while also sharing his own songs, first at open mic nights and eventually as the opening act for touring artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Sisters Morales.[8]
In 2001, Carll independently recorded his debut album, Flowers & Liquor, at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Texas, with Lisa Morales serving as producer. After the album's release in 2002, Carll was voted Best New Act by the Houston Press and drew comparisons with other notable Texas songwriters.[9][10]
Carll recorded his second album, Little Rock, in Nashville with producer R.S. Field. Alongside his manager at the time, Mike Crowley, he founded HWY 87 Records to release the album, which made history as the first self-released record to reach number one on the Americana Radio Chart. The track "Down The Road Tonight" also became a regional hit.[11] Carll signed with Lost Highway Records in 2006 and released his next album, Trouble in Mind, in 2008. It was ranked No. 60 of the year by The Village Voice.[12] "She Left Me For Jesus," which appeared on Trouble in Mind, was the Americana Music Association Song of the Year 2008.[13]
In 2008, Carll founded the Stingaree Music Festival, a small music event held in Crystal Beach, Texas, named after a local restaurant where he used to wait tables. The festival ran for two years before being discontinued in 2010 following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike.[14]
KMAG YOYO & Other American Stories was released in 2011. KMAG YOYO is military slang for "Kiss my ass, guys, you're on your own."[1] It received a nomination for Best Album by the Americana Music Association in 2011, and Spin voted it No. 3 in the category of "Best Country/Americana".[16]American Songwriter voted the song "Another Like You" the No. 1 song of 2011,[17] and the album No. 6.[18]Rolling Stone ranked "KMAG YOYO" at No. 46 of best singles of 2011,[19] and the album No. 47 on their list of "50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own."[20] After KMAG's success, Carll left Lost Highway Records.[21] In 2015 he went into the studio with producer Joe Henry to record Lovers and Leavers and then released the album in April 2016 on his own Highway 87 Records to great critical acclaim.
In 2020, to stay connected during the Covid-19 pandemic, Carll launched a weekly livestream show, Alone Together Tuesdays. Over 68 episodes, he was often joined by Allison Moorer and his son, Elijah. Through fan contributions, he raised money for various charities.[24]
He re-recorded many of his songs, including duets with Ray Wylie Hubbard and Allison Moorer, for 2020's Alone Together Sessions. The record was produced with Darrell Scott, and due to pandemic restrictions Carll recorded alone from his house while Scott recorded from his own.[25] His album, You Get It All, was released on October 29, 2021, on Dualtone Records.[26]
In 2024, Carll and Band of Heathens formed Hayes & The Heathens and released a self-titled record. The group also launched Everybody's Somebody Fest, a small annual music festival in Luckenbach, TX.[27]
On April 23, 2025, Carll announced a new album We're Only Human which was released on August 8, 2025, followed by a tour of the same name later in the year.[28][29]
Carll appeared on CBS Saturday Morning on August 23, 2025, playing "Stay Here Awhile", "What I Will Be", and "We're Only Human".[30][31]
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