The Hayes Family – Part I
One of today’s most popular family groups on the southern gospel music scene is the Mylon Hayes Family. Mylon, his wife, Wendy, and their three children, twin brothers Bailey and Conner (both 25), and daughter, Kennedy (21), have built a loyal fan base over the last decade, especially among lovers of traditional and ‘classic’ southern gospel. What’s interesting, though, is how they are actually continuing a family tradition that began more than half a century ago. For the next two months, we will explore the history of the ‘original’ Hayes Family, the precursor to today’s Mylon Hayes Family.
We’ll begin our story in 1956 – Boone, North Carolina. Howard Hayes had always aspired to be a Gospel singer. One night, at a Gospel sing, he met a young lady by the name of Lucy Earp. She shared many of the same interests as him, including a love for Gospel music. In fact, their first date was to a Gospel music sing. On November 16, 1958, they were married.
By the late 1960s, Howard and Lucy had three children – two daughters and one son. First was Janet, followed by Sharon, and the youngest, Mylon. From a young age, Howard and Lucy exposed their children to music – namely, Gospel music. Lucy taught Janet and Sharon piano beginning around age 4. They were also vocally trained, with Janet singing soprano, Sharon developing an alto voice, and Mylon taking the lead position. Howard taught all the children to play bass guitar, and Mylon also picked up the flat-top guitar.
For the purpose of this history, we can say that the Hayes Family made their ‘debut’ in 1970. That is when the family performed “Jesus Loves Me” at a funeral service. Janet was 6, Sharon 5, and Mylon was just 4 years old.
From the beginning, family was at the center of the Hayes’ ministry. Howard Hayes noted in a 1989 interview that, “I believe a family should be a family. Mom and Dad brought our family up by the Bible. Lucy and I have tried to bring our children up by the same Bible. They are really our joy. They are our life. That’s why we are a close family.”
The ‘southern gospel’ style was also key to their ministry. Howard noted, “We find that by using certain styles and hymns in the Southern style Gospel, we can better reach the various audiences that we sing and play to…We won’t ever stray from the basics of Southern Gospel, but we want to continue to grow individually and as a group. We think this is the path God has led us and is continuing to lead us.”
The Hayes Family ‘career’ in southern gospel began in the mid-1980s, once the kids had all graduated from high school. They had already cut a few albums, which had moderate success at the local and regional level. They felt the call to minister to a national audience. And thus, they reached out to the Eddie Crook Company (remember that name from a few months back?).
In 1985, the Hayes Family recorded their first album for the Eddie Crook Company – Praise The Name Of Jesus. We mentioned in previous articles how the Eddie Crook Company excelled in radio promotion. Therefore, two singles from the album were shipped to radio stations across the country.
First was a song titled “Somebody Believed”. Although the song was penned by an artist that was known well on the Contemporary Christian Music scene, Gary Dunham, the song fit the Hayes Family rather nicely, showcasing their vocal abilities. The song did not necessarily do well on the charts, though, but regardless, the Hayes Family was now being introduced to a national audience.
Then, in early 1986, came the second single from the album – “Payday Someday”. The song was written by the Rev. Horace L. Mauldin, who also wrote the song “Swing Wide The Gates” (popularized by the Inspirations). “Payday Someday” debuted on the Singing News Charts at #14 in September of 1986. Although the song would not rise any higher on the charts, it remained in the Top 40 for eight months, and quickly became a ‘signature song’ for the Hayes Family. In fact, to this day, many know the Hayes Family for this one song.
Singing From The Heart was the next album released on Eddie Crook’s label. This album is perhaps best known for the song “Heaven Is Waiting”, which rose to #10 on the Singing News Charts in September of 1987. (If you have a copy of this album, please let me know!)
Aside from being talented singers and instrumentalists, it should also be noted that there was also the gift of songwriting within the family. Janet would write a number of songs for the group, including a hit song for them in 1989, “Closer Home”.
By 1990, they had joined the newly-founded Pinnacle Records, headed by Eldridge Fox of the Kingsmen. ‘Foxy’, as he was affectionately known, worked with the group on a live recording in Orlando, Florida, on a rather stormy evening in 1990. The Hayes Family Live remains a popular recording of theirs, and a perfect ‘capture’ of what one was to expect at a Hayes Family concert. (A clip from this video, “Song In My Heart”, can be viewed on YouTube).
In a 1987 article, Dave Wilcox noted, “The Hayes Family possesses a musical heritage that’s sure to continue for many more years!” Next month, we’ll discover just how that heritage did indeed continue, as we travel through the 1990s, and explore the beginning of today’s Mylon Hayes Family.
Interviews for this article sourced from Singing News Magazine – January 1987, February 1989, and October 1997.
