Johnny Hayes: Appreciating the Sun and Rain in Mobile

On this episode of Dealing the Mobile Sound, host Eric Erdman sits down with singer-songwriter Johnny Hayes.  Johnny traces the moment he first “anted up” in music—from nervously asking to play a few songs during a bar break in Tuscaloosa to landing his first gig (it paid $50). Johnny shares stories from Nashville, writer’s rounds, and a moment when a song didn’t land the way he expected. He also plays “The Rain in Mobile” and reflects on his relationship with the community that has stayed with him through the highs and lows. In a city where the rain comes often, he says, you learn to appreciate the sunshine—and to trust that the hard seasons pass. That balance is what makes Mobile beautiful, and what inspired him to finally write a song about home.