Walker Hayes Has Some Very Sober Thoughts

Walker Hayes remembers the exact moment he realized he had his first of many Sober Thoughts.

“I was working a night job at Costco stocking produce and playing shows at night,” Hayes, 44, told TODAY hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, adding that he and his wife Laney had just welcomed their sixth child, daughter Everly. 

“Life was just wild, it was a lot on my body and I just woke up on a Saturday and I just knew if I did this one more day my body would be affected,” the country superstar said. And not in a good way either. “Some organ [would be hurt]. Look, I’m not a doctor. I just woke up and it felt like if I do it one more day I might die.”

Hayes, who said that he started drinking at age 13, added that he had this epiphany at age 36, but like the Big Books says, he started his sobriety journey in small stages. 

“I went one day to two, two days turned into a week,” Hayes said. “A month turned into a year and then I just didn’t want to go backwards.”

“Sobriety — [when] you’ve been drunk that long … you get addicted to … the clarity, the pep in your step. Consequently, you go to the gym and you’re like, ‘I feel like I’m 17.’” 

Sober Thoughts

The “Fancy Like” singer chronicles his close relationship with alcohol in his new album, Sober Thoughts. He also chronicles his sobriety.

Hayes is not shy about being eight years sober; in fact, he wants “to share his Sober Thoughts as much as I can.”

“I think most recovering alcoholics feel the same way, you know. Sobriety is so amazing that you’d love to pass it along. It’s a great option that we have in life. After all, there is freedom from addiction,” Hayes said.

“So, I’m always thinking about it. I like to make the world, my audience, into my accountability partner — that’s how I go about it. I’m not very anonymous, I love to just share,”

One of the things he most likes to share is how much he needs others. ‘Hey, it’s a struggle. I’m weak in that area. Help! You know, we can help each other.’”

Not to mention how much he loves recovery.

“I swear, if you ask my publishing company, I probably write a song a week about recovery, and so, I’m so grateful.” In fact, Hayes explained that one song, “Same Drunk,” is about coping mechanisms.

“A lot of our life, we just balance from coping mechanism to coping mechanism. Like coffee, for instance. I’m so addicted to coffee,” he said, adding, “But you know, it doesn’t destroy my life.”  

If You Need Help…

If you or someone you know needs help dealing with substance abuse, please give us a call. Healing Properties has been helping men find sobriety in Delray Beach since 2002; we’d be honored to help you too. Really. Meantime, batch Walker Hayes on the “Same Drunk Tour”.