Hunter Hayes, Rich Paschall, Sunday Night Blog

Crowded hallways are the loneliest places
For outcasts and rebels
Or anyone who just dares to be different

He admits it.  He is a geek.  Someone who is a bit different from the crowd.  He was picked on in school, not severely like some others, but a little anyway.  He was not one of the cool kids.  Perhaps you would consider him a bit of an outcast, not a rebel.

And you’ve been trying for so long
To find out where your place is
But in their narrow minds
There’s no room for anyone who dares to do something different

He also loves music.  He always loved music.  He loves to play it and to sing and even to write it.  Perhaps the others just did not know, but he was good, real good.  He mastered the instruments he played, lots of instruments.  He was different and he dreamed different.

Live at Sears Centre, Illinois

Oh, but listen for a minute

He received encouragement at home and from friends and could shake off those who would look down on him, even push him around.  He was encouraged to seek out his dream, and he did just that.  Now he has advice for those who feel different, outcast, or even Invisible.  They may hurt inside, but he wants them to know they will not always be “Invisible.”

Trust the one
Who’s been where you are wishing all it was
Was sticks and stones
Those words cut deep but they don’t mean you’re all alone
And you’re not invisible

So Hunter made music and pursued his dream and people took notice.  He didn’t look different to promoters and friends. He looked like the All American Boy who could sing and play.  He got jobs and gave performances and got a record deal.  He became a sensation to the You Tube generation and could fill theaters and concert halls.  Soon he had hits and had a story to tell.  In fact his second studio album is titled Storyline.  He’s one of the cool kids now.

Hear me out,
There’s so much more to life than what you’re feeling now
Someday you’ll look back on all these days
And all this pain is gonna be invisible
Oh, invisible

And his message comes from the heart:

So your confidence is quiet
To them quiet looks like weakness
But you don’t have to fight it
‘Cause you’re strong enough to win without a war

Hunter was confident in his ability to play and write music.  He won his war.  He became what others in the high school hallway would not have expected.  He became a star.  He also got a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance of his song, “Invisible.”  In addition to writing the song, the studio album also credits him for “Lead vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion.”

Every heart has a rhythm
Let yours beat out so loudly
That everyone can hear it

Everyone can hear Hunter now.  He’s hit the big time. He did not do it for the bling.  He does not have a crew of hangers-on.  He meets fans, signs autographs and gives thanks for what he has.  Now the cool kids and the geeks are fans of Hunter.  At age 25 Hunter Hayes has garnered a long list of award nominations since picking up Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year (2012) . It does not get cooler than that.  To his fans, Hunter wrote in the Storyline notes, “Thank you for not only giving the music its meaning, but also for giving me a place where I feel I belong.”

And someday you’ll look back on all these days
And all this pain is gonna be invisible
It’ll be invisible

“It sucked at the time…” I guess its okay now.

Note:  On August 26, 2017 Hunter Hayes was the opening act for Zac Brown Band at Wrigley Field, Chicago.

Invisible, Hunter Hayes, Bonnie Baker, Katrina Elam, 2014, Songs of Universal Inc.