Rising Music Star Nancy Hays Of Line Dance Country Phenomenon On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Eden Gold
You will search for a manager and agent your whole life. You won’t find them, but you will find out that you can still succeed without them by believing in yourself and collaborating with other artists. If you have read my previous answers the stories that go with the WHY for each of these points are self explanatory.
As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Nancy Hays.
Nancy Hays is a successful international recording artist who has released five albums, made multiple DVDs and toured the UK five times with her own original music since 2000. She was born in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, the daughter of a doctor and a nurse, with roots in farming. While performing in local theatre in her teens and with a high school band, it became evident that Nancy possessed an intensely powerful, natural country voice. “I fell in love with John Denver and Glen Campbell and all their wonderful story songs” she says. “Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt continue to be my biggest inspirations.” It wasn’t long before Nancy had her sights set on Nashville and the glittering prize of that all-important record deal.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I grew up in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois. My mother was a retired nurse and my dad was a doctor. My mom’s family had its roots in farming in rural Missouri. Life was very hard for my mother growing up. Her parents both died when she was 12 years old and their family home was destroyed by a tornado shortly thereafter. My Dad was born in Texas but moved a great deal after his father died when he was only 7 years old. He was raised by an elder brother, 18 years his senior. Both of my parents survived and thrived by getting an education. They felt that was the only way to make sure their children had a secure future too. My dad went to medical school the GI bill and served in the Navy. My mother and her twin, were in the final class of Cadet nurses in WWII.
My parents knew nothing about the entertainment business, but they saw that their middle child, Nancy Hays, was obsessed at a young age with artists of all kinds (singers, musicians, songwriters, dancers, filmmakers and more). I was particularly drawn to story songs by artists like John Denver and Glen Campbell. I would sing Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt songs at the top of my lungs day and night. I began performing professionally at age 16 at the Little Theater on the Square as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz (an Equity theater in rural, Illinois) and in school and local commercials. My parents were supportive, but wanted me to get a college education and marketable degree. So I majored in advertising at the university in my hometown, University of Illinois, but continued to perform in school and professionally every summer.
I auditioned for Opryland USA on the University of Illinois campus and there were two of us cast from those auditions, myself and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Oscar nominated actress). Mary was a close college friend I had previously performed with in a group called “Young Illini” and also starred with as a freshman in the University of Illinois spring musical (“West Side Story” — Mary played Maria and I was Anita). Mary and I moved in together to live in Nashville the summer of our sophomore year and then returned to live together the next year too. At Opryland, I was cast in the I Hear America Singing show performing a solo in the role of Judy Garland, and chosen to sing country standards “Tennessee Waltz” and “Brown Eyes Blue”. Once I was living in Nashville, that is when my country music journey really began in full force. I made appearances on local shows and started writing songs and meeting songwriters, publishers and producers.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I can not really explain. It was like a magnet for me. I would stare at the TV at entertainers and listen to the radio obsessively from a very young age, watching performers of all kinds. I watched Hee Haw, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Barbara Mandrell Show, Kenny and Dolly on late night shows and so much more. I just had to be in business and meet these types of people. There was no other option. I think I was the most driven person I have ever known with an admiration for other artists and a never give up one track mindset.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your music career?
I am not sure if this qualifies as the funniest, but I do have an ironic and a humorous memory. When I was shopping for a record deal in Nashville I was “pitching” to a very important person at Warner Brothers (who will go unnamed). He listened to my music and then rejected me. He said “You know, Nancy, you remind me of this girl who is not a real country girl and who lives in Canada. She is recording in London with a rock producer and thinks she can come into our town and sell country records. Her career is going nowhere because Nashville knows our own and she is not one of us”. I was very hurt at the time, of course, but later realized that he was talking about Shania Twain! Ha…she showed them! And I am delighted that he compared me to her. She is and always will be a great talent in country music.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
There are so many stories! I have been fortunate to open for legendary artists and also mid-level artists. Ronnie Milsap led me to my long time producer, Randy Gardner and Glen Campbell was the most generous performer I have ever worked with on stage. When I opened for him, he suggested we do a duet together (no other artist has ever requested that). When we were working out the vocal parts for the duet, he changed the key of a song to make sure it was the perfect key for me even though it was not the right key for him. He was a fantastic musician, performer and human being. I admired everything about him. Dan Seals was also one of my favorites, since I performed with him in my hometown at the Champaign County Fair. It was one of the last shows my father was able to see before he passed away. I adore cowboys and Dan Seals sang cowboy songs like no other artist before or since. I also loved being an opening act for legendary comedian and vaudeville performer, George Burns. Opening for Conway Twitty was also an incredible experience.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Randy Gardner is a hero to me. He has been my producer (and recording engineer) for three decades. Randy produces 95 percent of my music and handles tech on my UK tours. He brings out the best in me musically and is a lifelong friend.
The other person I own my career to is choreographer Jo Thompson Szymanski. Jo took my song “Come Dance with Me” and turned it into an international hit (with no record deal and zero radio airplay) by choreographing a line dance to it and teaching it to dance instructors all over the world. That led the way for me to make six tours of the UK and see my music being played on YouTube all over Europe, Asia, Australia, Japan and everywhere on the planet, including the Great Wall of China! And every year “Come Dance with Me” keeps getting more and more popular as new line dancers discover it. The song just won a Crystal Boot Award (the “Oscars” of Line Dance) in England in January of 2024 after being nominated 4 times before in various categories.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“I think I can….I think I can” which is what the Little Engine that Could says as SHE (and I always related to the fact that she was a female!) is going over the mountain. This is the quote from my favorite childhood book and ironically related to the subject of my new release “Heart Like a Train”.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I am glad you are interested in diversity because that is very important to me and part of who I am. I am proud to say that I think I have incredibly diverse friends. As a matter of fact, my black friends that are also artists, are some of my biggest supporters. I have many LGBTQ friends and my church pastor is gay and he is the most wonderful pastor imaginable. Diversity is what makes life interesting. Who wants to life in a world where we are all the same? I don’t.
I have a disabled daughter and I am also interested in inclusion for those with disabilities. There is a link online to dancers in wheelchairs dancing to my song “Come Dance with Me” and that makes me incredibly happy. There is a YouTube link to my music being played in France with 1.1 million views. Those dancers are living in France and are French speaking, but they love my music as much or more as those who speak the same language as I do. Dance has no language but inclusion, so that is another reason I love performing for dancers.
Three reasons diversity is important: 1. Our society is becoming more and more diverse and the arts need to reflect that. 2. We need to learn from past mistakes in our history so we can change behaviors in the future to include all, not just a select few. 3. We need to understand and recognize that country music belongs to African Americans as much as it belongs to caucasians. There is historical evidence to prove that they were very much present in its origins. We need to bring those facts to light and also include Native Americans and all other ethnicities. I am glad that Beyonce is expanding the conversation with her latest country music album.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am working on completing the 12 tracks for my upcoming vinyl album and preparing for my sixth UK tour, scheduled for the fall of 2024. I am also really looking forward to making more music videos with the same team that produced “Heart Like a Train” (same director, production company and my daughter, actress Caroline Heffernan). I am writing many new songs. I believe I am in the midst of one of the most creative periods of my life.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Your time will come and your music will become part of your legacy, keep the faith.
- You won’t follow the journey a traditional way, but God will guide you exactly where you need to go if you trust him and follow your heart.
- You were meant to have a family with a husband and four kids and be present for them at home when they were growing up.
- Part of your legacy will be sharing your love of music and the arts with your own children before starting your journey again.
- You will search for a manager and agent your whole life. You won’t find them, but you will find out that you can still succeed without them by believing in yourself and collaborating with other artists. If you have read my previous answers the stories that go with the WHY for each of these points are self explanatory.
When you create a song, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example of what you mean?
The songs I write are always personal. I can’t write any other kind of song with authenticity. So I write about what I know; love of friends and family, home and travel, hopes and dreams and most of all, the joy of dance. I never had the budget to do a professional music video until “Heart Like a Train” and what happened with that was a blessing beyond anything I can describe here. Stephan Mazurek heard the song and transformed the video into exactly what I was hoping for. It was the answer to prayer and help from a really great friend and fellow artist, Stephan Mazurek and his partner Liz Sung. They delivered 110 percent. They told me not to worry about anything other than singing from the heart and acting out the song, and the actors did the same. And now our train has left the station…The Little Engine that Could!
Nancy Hays Official Music Page on Facebook
@NancyHaysMusic on IG
@NancyHaysMusic on TikTok
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold.
