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Wade Hayes

Country Western Singer; Healthcare Advocate; Cancer Survivor

Country Western Singer; Healthcare Advocate; Cancer Survivor

Travels From Travels From:
Nashville, TN, USA
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Wade Hayes Biography

Country music's power has always been in its ability to reflect real life, and few artists have a stronger gift for capturing both heartache and hope than Wade Hayes. In the past few years, the singer/songwriter has navigated a complicated journey that has produced some of the most potent songs of his already impressive career. Surviving stage IV colon cancer, not just once but twice, has given Hayes a unique perspective of the fragility of life and the strength of the human spirit. Those lessons learned are embodied in the songs on "Go Live Your Life."

Far from being a heavy manifesto on pain and survival, "Go Live Your Life" is actually a vibrant tapestry that is both poignant and playful. The title track is an upbeat anthem that celebrates living life to the fullest while "Dirt Road" pays homage to his Oklahoma roots and "Remember the Alimony" is a tongue-in-cheek slice of advice to a friend on the precipice of another romantic mistake. "She is Home" is a tender love song about life's true priorities while "If the Sun Comes Up" is a powerful ballad about moving on. Anchored by Hayes insightful songwriting and brought to life through his warm, rich baritone, the songs on Go Life Your Life are steeped in country's best traditions yet have a contemporary edge.

Hayes co-produced the album with longtime friend Dave McAfee. "Dave and I got together and listened to songs and honed it down to what we thought fit on this project," says Hayes, who wrote or co-wrote all but one song on Go Live Your Life. "I'm very fortunate getting to this next step. After getting through the years of ill health and bad luck, I'm kind of laser focused right now. Getting sick has changed me immensely. It's as if I'm looking through different eyeballs now. "I appreciate everything so much more. I realize how much I took for granted."

Hayes was in his early 20s when he began churning out such enduring hits as "Old Enough to Know Better," "I'm Still Dancing with You," "On a Good Night" and "What I Meant to Say." A second generation country singer from Bethel Acres, Oklahoma, Hayes grew up watching his dad perform. The young guitarist's dream was to be the next Don Rich, Buck Owens' revered guitar player and one of country music's most legendary sidemen. "I was a big fan of Don Rich and I thought that's what I wanted to do," he recalls. "That's what I moved to Nashville for."

Hayes began realizing that goal when Johnny Lee tapped the young musician to be his lead guitarist, but he just wasn't meant to be a sideman. "Record label people started coming to watch me play and the next thing I knew everything was happening fast," says Hayes, who landed a publishing deal just nine months after moving to Nashville, and a contract with Columbia Records soon after. His debut single, "Old Enough to Know Better," hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and Hayes was nominated for the ACM's Top New Male Vocalist honor. Two of Hayes' four major label albums have been certified gold by the RIAA, and hits such as "Don't Stop," "The Day That She Left Tulsa (In a Chevy)" and "How Do You Sleep at Night" continue to be fan favorites in his shows.

In 2009, he released the critically acclaimed independent album, "A Place to Turn Around," and continued to tour extensively until his world came to a screeching halt when he was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in the fall of 2011. It was a surprise to everyone, even the doctors. Because Hayes was so young, doctors initially thought the symptoms were the result of him working out too strenuously and lifting too much weight. After extensive surgery and debilitating chemotherapy, Hayes battled his way back to health only to have the cancer return in the fall of 2012.

He's now cancer free again, and the title track of his new album was inspired by a conversation with his oncologist. "That's a song that I'm very proud of," he says. "When I'd gotten through cancer the second time and we were looking at my blood work, my oncologist was talking about taking my port out. A port is something they implant into either your chest or under your arm where you receive chemotherapy. My oncologist said, ‘Wade, you were stage IV and now you're cancer free. We can take your port out. This is a big deal and I want to tell you something. I want you to go live your life.'

"It hit me like a ton of bricks," Hayes continues, "because I knew that he meant two different things: one being, it's kind of a miracle that you're still here. You need to go enjoy your life. And two being, you had cancer really bad, and when it spread as far as it did, there's a good chance that it can come back. He was telling me to go live my life, because we don't know how long this good is going to be. I told Bobby Pinson that story and we wrote the song."

"Go Live Your Life" is an upbeat anthem about making the most of every day and reveling in the things that bring you happiness. "It's really been an impactful song doing it live," Hayes says. "I've done it at a lot of events and people have really gravitated towards it. They understand it and they get it."

Writing songs has been part of his healing. "Writing is therapy, letting my mind go somewhere else instead of worrying about what's on my plate," he shares. "The thing that got me in trouble in school has been the thing that's saved my life. It's daydreaming. I've gotten very good at that. Writing songs like ËśRemember the Alimony' and ËśBluebonnet Blues' were just fun songs to do. It was a good time."

The album closes with an instrumental version of the old hymn "Just As I Am," a tender ending to a tour de force artistic expression. "That song was played on my very first guitar that I got when I was twelve-years-old," Hayes says. "That guitar is not the easiest guitar to play. But I still love that guitar. It's not perfect, but it's like me. I'm not perfect. That cut isn't perfect, but it's the way it came out. That song means a lot to me."

In addition to writing and recording, Hayes has been back on the road, touring this spring with pals Bryan White and Mark Wills. He also enjoys spending time at his 11-acre farm outside Nashville where one of his favorite hobbies is restoring old pick up trucks. He makes time to share his experience with cancer and encourage others fighting the battle. "I've met so many wonderful people during this journey, especially when I started healing and got out and began speaking. I've met some incredible, brave people that were inspiring to me and told me that my story is inspiring to them. I heard the story of a guy who had cancer similar to mine and he made it back to being cancer free. It gave me so much hope that once I got through the valley I thought, ‘Man, that's what I want to do for other people.' I want to help them and try to give them inspiration and hope. With God all things are possible. I'm a living example."

Wade Hayes Videos

  • Center Stage Live featuring Wade Hayes!
  • Wade Hayes talks living his life after cancer

FAQs on booking Wade Hayes

  • How do I book Wade Hayes to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Wade Hayes for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Wade Hayes, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Wade Hayes or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Wade Hayes

    Speaking fees for Wade Hayes, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Wade Hayes are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Wade Hayes, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Wade Hayes speak about?

    Wade Hayes is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Cancer Speakers, Faith & Religion, Health and Wellness, Music, Personal Growth, Speakers by Industry.
  • Where does Wade Hayes travel from?

    Wade Hayes generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Wade Hayes’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Wade Hayes for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Wade Hayes for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Wade Hayes or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Wade Hayes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Wade Hayes for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Wade Hayes generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Trey Lewis, Ashland Craft, Priscilla Block, Larry Fleet and Jackie Lee. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Wade Hayes for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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