Meet Carson Hay | Country Music Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carson Hay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carson, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in the coal fields of southern West Virginia. It was a small area that I wouldn’t even classify as a town. The drive to the grocery store was about 30 minutes, but it was an area full of down to earth, hardworking people. At a young age, I was taught the value of hard work and respect. I spent my childhood watching my father work long hours in a coal mine. He worked a job that was very physically demanding to provide a good life for my family. It taught me that you have to do what it takes to allow your family to have what they need and want. In watching this type of work ethic growing up, I have became a person who never gives up on something no matter how hard it may be. My uncle was also a huge influence on my child hood. He instilled in me a love of the outdoors. We would spend lots of time hunting and fishing. He taught me to not only love nature but to respect it. It is our job to leave the world a better place that we found it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been involved in music for most of my life. While my focus now is in country, I have been thru a number of other genres that have influenced my sound. I grew up in an area where bluegrass was prevalent. Whether it was sitting around pickin’ at the local guitar shop, or hitting up some of the mashup shows, there was always bluegrass being played. I know what you’re thinking, what the heck is a mashup show. There was a venue where musicians from all over would come out. You didn’t have to have a full band, just show and see who’s there. You could make some new friends and then just hop up on stage. It was consistently changing who was up on the stage. Every Friday night you could show up and have fun.

I also had a lot of influences from other types of music. Growing up in a small community your faith was a big part of it. I grew up in church singing and playing. Anytime the church doors were open I was there. In high school I was in the drama club. I began to really appreciate theatrical music. I performed in a number of musical in school. Of course I was also growing up in the 90’s, so musical genres were exploding. I loved to listen to rock and rap. My musical tastes were all over the board.

After high school was when I really began to explore music as a career. I played in numerous bands of multiple genres ranging from Screamo, Rock, Heavy Metal, and Country. Diving into all of these different genres so deeply has really shaped my sound. I have pulled little bits from all of these areas to develop my own style. When you see me play you may just think its another hillbilly singing country music, then I break out a cover of a 90’s hip hop song.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Let me start by saying that there is so much to do in and around the Cleveland area. I will start with food because it is one of my favorite things. One of my favorite spots to hit for lunch is over in the Ohio City area. It is called Ohio City Burrito. It is a nice little spot with friendly staff and amazing food. Similar to a Chipotle, Ohio City Burrito offers burritos and bowls with top notch ingredients. You can really taste the passion they put into their food.

If I were looking for a good spot for dinner, I would head over to Pizza 216. I love all kinds of pizza, but this is one of my favorites. I would start with the Italian Nachos, and then pile it on with the Carnivore Pizza. Not a place to be missed if you are in downtown Cleveland.

I would finish out the night by heading down to the Flats. There are a bunch of great places to hit in the Flats, but one of my favorites would be Welcome to the Farm. It is a fantastic country bar that specializes in live music. When you walk thru the door its like you are transported to Nashville TN. Great staff and great music really set the tone for a wonderful night cap.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my wife Stephanie Hay. She is the driving force behind my success. She is there when I fall on my face to pick me up, and she is there when I may be getting a little too big for my britches. The amount of time and energy that she sacrifices for me to follow my dreams is unmatched. Consistently picking up my slack when I have to be away for music. She is a huge influence in teaching me compassion for others. Always putting other people before herself. I could not be where I am today without such an amazing person behind me.

Website: www.carsonhay.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/carsonhaymusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carsonhaymusic/

Other: www.tiktok.com/@carsonhaymusic

Image Credits
Stephanie Hay Photography Bright Photography