About 90 lucky fans were able to pack into The Bluebird Cafe on Saturday night to see Country Music singer/songwriters Hunter Hayes and Cam perform at a show benefiting Alive Hospice. Throughout the show, Hunter Hayes dropped hints about his new album and played some songs that have been expected to be included on the record.
“I’ve been working too hard on this record to just kind of say, ‘Here’s a release date,’” Hayes said of the yet-to-be named album expected to drop later this year.
Hayes opened his set at the Bluebird with a song called “Rescue,” which he said he just finished recording for the new album.
“The Bluebird is where music just takes on a whole new level of meaning and where the heart of the song and the heart of the music and what I love about being able to write songs and stuff. The spirit is here,” Hayes said prior to the performance. “When it’s so quiet, you get lost. As a performer, you get lost in what you’re singing, what you’re playing. As a listener, you get lost in the song. Everybody gets lost, and you forget where you are.”
While audience members may have forgotten where they were, at least temporarily, they surely will not forget what they heard, as Hayes showcased his songwriter chops, his singing ability, and his guitar shredding.
“I really admire him, I think he’s such a talented person,” Cam said, who was sitting across the circle from Hayes during the performance as they took turns playing songs. “That’s what makes the Bluebird feel so nice, when you’re around people who play well and sing more about the emotions and being a songwriter a little bit more than so much performing. That’s why it’s kind of nice, you’re just kind of in a circle. There’s nothing really showy about it.”
In between the big hits from both Cam and Hayes that the whole crowd knew, Hayes sprinkled in some new tunes, including a song named “Lines” and a song named “Tell Me,” which have both been expected to be a part of this year’s release.
“We’ve got a lot of stuff for this record. I’ve made a lot of music,” Hayes explained. “The record is full of stuff that just matters to me, which is why it came out the way it did in September.”
Hayes released his songs “Amen,” “Yesterday’s Song,” and “Young Blood” on September 9 of last year, which was his birthday, and he has planned to continue to release songs this year that could come as surprises, like his unannounced songs in September, or in unconventional ways.
“There will be more of that because this record, what I’ve gone through to make this and what I’ve kind of found in myself as a person has translated into the writing, has translated into the song selection, has translated into how we make the record in the studio and it really - this record holds a lot of meaning for me, and I’m excited because we’re going to put as much of it out in random ways, in the most unpredictable ways for me at least, and I’m really, I’m ready for that. I think it’s time to put this stuff out and let it see the light of day.”
As someone who was sitting in the audience at the Bluebird, hearing those songs for the first time, I have to say personally, I can’t wait for Hunter’s record to come out. If his songs released in September and his acoustic versions of “Lines” and “Tell Me” are any indication, this will be an amazing album that will please fans and earn Hunter some well-deserved praise.
