Hayes Carll

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Kate and I went to Toronto on Tuesday to see Hayes Carll and his Gulf Coast Orchestra (guitar/banjo, bass, percussion/drums, mandolin/violin, and keyboards) at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. He's touring to support a new album, "We're Only Human" (2025). We were here only recently to see James McMurtry with Gord and Leslie. Hayes Carll is considered by many in Austin to be the next best thing since sliced bread — although I believe he lives in Nashville these days (sort of like Guy Clark: famous in Texas but working from Nashville). I understand that he is married to Allison Moorer (see "That's the Way Love Goes"), another singer in her own right, who he "stole" from Steve Earle. If you like Americana you should know of him.

We've seen him live a couple of times in Austin but only at award shows and that sort of thing — we've never been anywhere where we could catch a whole concert. In Austin he plays concert halls. He sold out the Horseshoe in Toronto, standing room only, perhaps 300-400 patrons. He has fans here and could probably sell small concert halls (which would be nicer for us). We booked an overnight room at the Chelsea Hotel (Yonge and Gerrard). As it happens it was the cheapest and gosh we have lots of memories from staying there over the years. The intention was to arrive early in the day and enjoy a bit of R&R; especially the pool. But then our next door neighbour's dad Bill had died and the funeral mass was that very afternoon. Bill was Dianne's (of Dianne and Chico), Gloria's (of Gloria and Al) and Danny's (of Dan and Wendy) dad and we had spent lots of Christmas Eve's with all of them next door making music and chatting. We knew and liked Bill and his extended family — so we couldn't miss the funeral mass. That made us pretty late leaving for Toronto; but it still seemed workable. So we went to the funeral but skipped the internment and reception afterwards and instead headed out for Toronto.

Our plan was to get to the hotel by 6:00 and check in. Reg would immediately take an Uber or cab to the Horseshoe and stand in line to make sure we got good seats and Kate would lie around resting until the show was ready to start (she hadn't decided whether to go for the fronting act ( Aaron Raitiere) or just go for Hayes Carll. The traffic was awful, we ran into a parade (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), and it was looking like we wouldn't get to the hotel until 6:30 or later so we decided to park the car near the Horseshoe and Kate would take an Uber to the hotel and come back later. Reg would have to watch his drinking since he would need to drive back to the hotel later. Kate had a nice Uber driver from India; Reg arrived at the Horseshoe at 6:30 and met some nice people early in line and of a like mind. He was, like, 4th or 5th in the general admission line. Good plan — doors open at 7:00, show starts at 8:00 with Hayes Carll on around 9:00.

However, when Reg got in, there were no seats, absolutely none. It was standing room only. The best he could do was get a standing spot at stage left by the speakers. It seems they sell VIP tickets, which gives early admission, and so many of these were sold that they took all of the seats. We could have bought VIP tickets but we weren't particularly interesting in the various perks — there was no mention about seating. So we texted back and forth but in the end, we couldn't figure out how it could work for Kate to go at all. For one thing, for her to get in, Reg would have to lose his spot by the stage in order to meet her at the entrance with the cell phone app that would get her in. Plus, Kate, with her ankle injury, couldn't stand for that long. So she missed the show entirely.

Reg stayed and enjoyed the music very much — both acts — but came home with every part of his body aching from the prolonged standing. Plus, he could only have one beer while there, the one he bought while in line, because if he left to get a beer, he'd lose his spot. But being up front he got some good pictures and really enjoyed the music. He took notes of the songs performed and some of the chatter that form the basis of the following.

Opening Act: Aaron Raitiere

The opening act at 8:00 was Aaron Raitiere who hails from Danville KY (see his YouTube Channel). He was quite the hit coming up on stage and immediately grabbing the audience's attention. He was wearing a "Turtle" green hockey shirt and started the show with a "Go Turtles" holler with the audience. It turns out he didn't bring any "merch" to sell so offered to auction off his Turtle shirt to the highest bidder over $200 (is that Canadian or US dollars?). Hayes told a story later about another time time when Aaron toured with him without bringing any merch; instead he did sketches of Hayes with titles like "Music Righter" and did quite well selling these.

Aaron is an interesting multi-talented performer/artist and has quite a few co-writes (including with Hayes). Hayes tells us that at the 2025 CMA awards (coming up November 19) of the songs nominated for "Song of the Year" Aaron has co-writing credits on 2 of the 4 songs: “4x4xU” (Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson) and “You Look like You Love Me” (Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere).

• There were a lot of jokes and some very brief one-liner humorous songs. One line I've written down was "I'm so miserable without you, it's just like you're here" and that seems to be from a 1992 song by Billy Ray Cyrus.
• Another drunken doped up story song is "Armadillo" (Aaron Raitiere, Jon Decious & Parker Twomey) from Miranda Lambert's album "Postcards from Texas" (2024). The premise of the song is telling a tall tale to your partner when you've arrived home late, stoned and drunk. The excuse is "Met an armadillo with a gun, that's where I was last night".
• Aaron is quite self deprecating and describes his schtick as singing "Songs about boogers and such". There's a song about ADHD and being OCD (he likes these acronyms). See "ADHD Hypomanic Alcoholic Son of a Bitch" (by Frank South, Aaron Raitiere, Colin Raitiere circa 2012) on YouTube.
• This ties to a song about "Cold Soup" from the album "Single Wide Dreamer" (2022) that tells the story of the homeless; perhaps those with ADHD or OCD?
• "You're Crazy" from the same album has the notable lines "And I don't know what else to call it, baby, you're crazy. 'Cause if you had any sense you'd a left him by now".
• "Dear Darlin'" is a breakup letter from the same album. Things are not going well; the notable line is "Cussin' you in cursive, hope this letter makes you cry".
• Kate had found a Youtube video of "Single wide dreamer" from that album. Notable lines include: "Single wide dreamer in a double wide world" and "He works extra hard to not work too hard". The video is cartoonish.
• Someone in the audience called out for "Jesus Jenny" (performed by Ashley McBryde & Aaron Raitiere, writers Aaron Raitiere & Jon Decious) from Ashley McBryde's concept album "Lindeville" (2022). There was a reference to the line "Titties popping out of your turtleneck" but he didn't do the song
• Aaron did perform "Excuse me, you look like you love me" which I mentioned earlier. If you chase the link you'll be taken to a 2024 version with Shelley Fairchild. It's a silly story about bars, gals, guys and closing time pickup lines .. that don't work (at least for guys it doesn't work). The song has been recorded by several artists.
• Aaron refers to Uber, the ride share system, as Hubert, my dog. He played for a little over half an hour and was quite a treat. A lot on the gallows side of humor but well worth a listen.

I'd encourage you to check out Aaron Raitiere (here's his YouTube Channel) there's lots to listen to. "Live at the Basement" (2021) is a good sample of what I saw. If you like a mashup of John Prine, Kinky Friedman and Shel Silverstein he's your guy!

Headline: Hayes Carll and the Gulf Coast Orchestra

After a short break Hayes Carll and the Gulf Coast Orchestra came on stage at around 9:00. The touring band is: Thayer Sarrano on keyboards, Mike Meadows on drums/percussion, Noah Jeffries on fiddle/mandolin, Scott Davis on guitar/banjo, and Jared Reynolds on bass. I didn't catch where all the members were from. His colleague on electric guitar (and banjo) was a high school classmate from back in Houston. The bass player was from Nashville, I think the drummer was from Austin, there was a fellow on mandolin and violin, and a young woman on keyboards who was from Nashville.

• The electric set starts with "Drunken Poet's Dream" from "Trouble in Mind" (2007). I think that's a cowrite with Ray Wylie Hubbard. Lots of notable lines, but I like: "Well, she laughs for a minute 'bout the shape I'm in. Says, "You be the sinner, honey, I'll be the sin".
• "Faulkner Street" from "Trouble in Mind" (2007) is a tune I'm not familiar with. It's a fond remembrance of his drunken early times. The chorus is: "Trouble in mind. How'd we ever lose that time? Livin' for the best. Leavin' all the rest behind".\
• "What I Will Be" from "We're Only Human" (2025) is a turn around from those drunken days and talks about living a quiet life by the ocean. Notable lines: "I am what I am. An insecure mountain. Long-winded fountain of useless advice" and "From now until the end; I'm gonna be what I will be."
• "You get it all" from "You Get It All" (2021) is a love song, a ballad, that he often sings solo on guitar. Tonight he did it with the full band. Still a lovely song.
• "If I May Be So Bold" from "What It Is" (2019) is a Highway 61 tinged rocker. I'm not sure what it's about. The chorus includes "There's a whole world out there waitin'; Full of stories to be told; And I'll heed the call and tell 'em all; If I may be so bold"
• "Any Other Way" from "You Get It All" (2021) is another cowrite with Aaron Raitiere. Features violin and reaches back to classic country. I like the lines of the chorus "There ain't nobody; Who knows how life's gonna happen; Only thing to do is live it 'til it's gone". Hayes tells us about Aaron's CMA nominations and the merch stories.
• "High" from "We're Only Human" (2025) is a a slow one; likely about enjoying the moment with some libations or drugs. But it's also about being content and comfortable with where he is now in life.
• "Progress of Man (Bitcoin & Cattle)" from "We're Only Human" (2025) is a co-write with Aaron Raitiere.
• "Stay Here Awhile" from "We're Only Human" (2025) , another slow one, was introduced with a story about being comfortable in life in Tennessee and watching a blue jay building a nest out the window (the Toronto Blue Jays had just recently won their division title and that got an audience response). "Let me be that blue jay, Knowing I belong. And no matter what lies on the road up ahead; May I always have my song"
• They did a rockin' version of "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" (a Tom Waits song made famous by the Ramones) which appeared, as a much more gentle tune, on "Trouble in Mind"" (2007).
• "Down the Road Tonight" from the album "Little Rock" (2005) is another Dylan/Highway 61 spoken word mouthful telling the story of wild times on the road. The line that stuck out to me was "My first girlfriend works at Hooters". I'm not familiar with this album, it's not on Youtube, but gosh, it's 20 years ago!
• "I Got Away With It" is a slow one from "We're Only Human" (2025) that tells the story of a broken relationship where he's at fault. "And I acted like some kind of stranger. When she desperately needed a friend". He may have got away with it but lives with regret.
• Hayes was talking about Fred Eagle Smith, how he had helped him out when he was touring in Texa. He mentioned Roger Marin and Darcy Yates who where both here tonight. He talked about a cross country tour of Canada where gigs where missed, and long days spent travelling to the next gig. Someone from the audience called out for "Bible on the Dash" (2012) with Corb Lund. Another funny tune spearing Christians. He didn't do it tonight. He told a story about touring in Canada and the border hassles — inadvertently they were caught with an orange on returning to the US. They were fined and crossing borders thereafter meant he'd be stopped and searched. Border services in the US (ICE and CBP) have been arseholes for a long time.
• "I got a gig", from the album from "Trouble in Mind" (2007), tells the story of his young days starting out at Hurricane Bob's on Crystal Beach Texas where getting a gig was an accomplishment. There's a banjo prominent in this tune with his friend from Houston, his electric guitarist.
• "What it is", from the album of the same name (2019), is one of those songs of regret and hope for the future. The chorus includes: "And what it is is right here in front of me. And I'm not letting go"
• "Good People (Thank Me)" is another co-write with Aaron Raitiere from "We're Only Human" (2025) . It's become a popular sing along with a simple story and easy chorus: "Thank God for good people, thank people for being kind". We were all encouraged to sing along (unlike the encore).
• "KMAG YOYO" from "KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)" (2011) is a rocker with Dylan like spoken lyrics (cf. "Johnny's in the basement, mixing up the medicine, I'm on the pavement, thinking about the government") that tells the story of a young fellow who signs up and ends up in Afghanistan ... selling heroin and going down some strange paths with the CIA. The acronym KMAG YOYO is "Kiss my ass good-bye; you're on your own."
• "To Keep From Being Found" from "You Get It All" (2021) is another nice tune I hadn't really listened to before. It's another sad story about the hard life touring and travelling and loves lost. A line that leaps out to me was "I ain't ever going back to Texas. I'll pay the cost, Of being lost, Just to keep from being found".
• "Nice Things" from the album "You Get It All" (2021) is funny commentary on our world — God comes down to earth and she meets all sorts of dumb things we do: pollution, drugs and a hypocrisy.
• "One Day" from "We're Only Human" (2025) is a quieter tune with a hopeful. "One day I'm gonna get there. right where I belong."
• The set ended with "We're Only Human" (2025) from the album by the same name. This is another quiet reflective tune, a little sad -- "We're only human, nothing more".
• For the encore, Hayes came on solo, without the band, just his guitar, to sing "Beaumont" from "Trouble in Mind" (2007). A lovely rueful story of a failed romance "I could not wait forever, I hope you understand". A couple of guys behind me seemed to love and know the song by heart; they sang along ... loudly. I wished they had just sung quietly for themselves.
• The encore ended with the band returning. The did a couple of rockers, "Hard Out Here" and "Stomp and Holler" both from the album "KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)" (2011). Both songs about touring and living on the road.

We have been listening to Hayes Carll for several years now. This show impressed me with the depth of his catalogue and the quality of his song writing. If you like a bit of John Prine, mixed with a large dash of Highway 61 Dylan, lots of blues and Ray Wylie Hubbard then Hayes Carll should be on your must-listen list. Here's his YouTube Channel.