Country musician Walker Hayes recently reflected on how his family was brought back together in the wake of tragedy. In 2018, the now-44-year-old star and his wife, Laney, suffered a devastating loss after their daughter, Oakleigh Klover, died shortly after birth due to a uterine rupture that nearly killed Laney as well. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Hayes explained how channeling his emotions through music improved his relationship with his wife and children and helped them overcome challenging times.
He said, “One thing that I’m grateful for is there was some point in my life where I began to write songs and that began this communicative side of me where I felt the need to say it all.” The “Good With Me” hitmaker continued, “Let’s throw it all on the table, and you can do what you want with it. But selfishly, it’s not inside me anymore. And I will say that that has been a gift, and I’m forever grateful,” he added. “It’s improved my relationship with my kids, with my wife. Brutal honesty and communication, highway wide open. I do think that that’s a large reason why I’m unafraid to expose my family for the good and the bad and just say, ‘Hey, we’re still a family.'”
The songwriter married Laney, who was his high school sweetheart, in 2004. The couple share daughters Lela, 18, Loxley, 10, and Everly, 7, and sons Chapel, 16, Baylor, 14, and Beckett, 12. Hayes, who has amassed a large social media following, often showcases his children and family life in his posts. In 2021, Hayes’ career skyrocketed after a TikTok video of himself and Lela dancing to his song “Fancy Like” went viral. After 11 years in the music industry, Hayes scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Country chart with “Fancy Like,” which also reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song’s success also launched Hayes to a new level of fame.
View this post on Instagram
Hayes has been open both on social media and in the press about the ups and downs that he has experienced throughout his life. During his interview with Fox News Digital, he recalled how he was able to overcome hardships through the “grace of God and God alone.” The country singer, who battled alcoholism, previously shared with Fox News Digital that the pain of losing Oakleigh challenged his ability to stay sober and tested the strength of his relationship with Laney. He said, “Laney and I have been through things.”
Hayes said the pain of losing Oakleigh, who he noted would have been 6 years old this June, could have ended their marriage. He said, “That’s the kind of stuff that destroys marriages. I mean, obliterates them like a bomb, you know? And Lainey and I grieved in completely different ways. I was angry, she was sad for, like, two years.” He added, “And honestly, I have no answer. I can’t tell you why we’re on this side. And we’re still hanging in there.” In addition to the improved communication that he shares with his family, Hayes said that collaborating with his children on social media content, such as the “Fancy Like” video and sharing their lives with their following, has helped bring them together.