Give “Craig” a Chance

Every now and then a song comes along that really hits you.  It can be something that you totally relate to, but that isn’t always the case.  It’s a song that you have to turn off while doing your makeup because mascara and tears don’t mix.  For me, this song is Walker Hayes‘ current single, “Craig.”  I have a feeling that people are going to ignore this song because it’s not your typical Country sound.  That reason is exactly why I wrote this review.  “Craig” is a song with an incredible message.  If I could get people to stop with the “that’s not country,” and just listen to the lyrics for just one song, it would be “Craig.”

“Craig” is the true, and personal story, of a man Hayes met at church.  At the time, Hayes had an alcohol problem, and was struggling to make ends meet while still working towards his dream of being an artist.  The song tells of Craig never judging Hayes, even when he showed up to church smelling like beer.  Hayes had lost his record deal, which meant the family mini-van for his six kids was repossessed.  He and his wife were down to one car and not enough seat belts.  One night Craig showed up to Hayes’ son’s baseball game with a van and title in hand.

Man all you gotta do is sign and it’s yours.  I said ‘no, no way’ but he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for answer.  He said, ‘please do, somebody did this for me once, just let me do this for you.’
We argued about it for a little while, then I teared up, and Craig smiled…

In an interview with Storme Warren of SiriusXM’s The Highway, Hayes said, “I just wanted to say thank you.  I mean, how do you adequately thank somebody for that?  I don’t know if you ever do.  I’m a songwriter, and so I wrote it to him.  There was no intention for radio.  No, never thought it would go on an album.”  He goes on to say that country music is the genre that allows him to write this song, and share all of the details like he did.  “He never even told his twin brother that he gave me a car.  What an honor as an artist to just be like, ‘Hey, this cool thing happened to me.  Can anybody relate?  Let me tell y’all about this guy.”

Take a listen to “Craig,” and truly listen to the lyrics.  May we all be able to one day be a “Craig” for someone in need.

About The Author

Stefanie Richardson

I was born & raised in Orlando, but chased my dream of living in Tennessee. There are plenty of more dreams to chase, and living here was the first step. I grew up on country music and remember riding around in my dad’s truck singing along to Reba, The Judds, and of course, King George. Pure Country was a movie that played often in our house. These days, I absolutely love following “up and coming” artists. Cale Dodds is my favorite; and I’m at his shows more often than not! I love everything about country music; the way artists appreciate their fan base, the loyalty the fans show their favorite performers, and how it brings people together. I am so thankful for the experiences and friendships that Got Country has given me.

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