Hunter Hayes' musical talent aging rapidly

Hunter Hayes of Breaux Bridge is just 8 years old, but he's already been all over the country, singing and playing for the president of the United States in Washington, the Kennedys in Nantucket and making TV appearances with Rosie O'Donnell, Maury Povich and Regis and Kathie Lee. The national news media couldn't resist the blond, blue-eyed accordion player either. People, CNN and Time for Kids jumped on the bandwagon. So did New Orleans music magazine Offbeat, which named Hayes best new Cajun performer . Hayes got another honor last week in New Orleans. During an album-release party and performance at Michaul's Live Cajun Music Restaurant, he was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the City of New Orleans, signed by Mayor Marc H. Morial. The 14 tracks on Hayes' new CD, Through My Eyes, include covers of D.L. Menard's Cajun classic, "The Back Door," zydeco king Clifton Chenier's "Lafayette Waltz," Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" and two original songs composed by Hayes himself.

Hayes has written about 20 songs so far. He says it's easy. In fact, he improvised a Mardi Gras song on the spot at Michaul's. Country radio stations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette have been giving "Six Years Old," the opening track on Through My Eyes, airplay. The song's a tear-in-your-beer ballad - or maybe a tear-in-your-milk ballad - that's more country than Cajun. Hayes calls his music country-Cajun. Austin James, music director at WYNK-FM in Baton Rouge, said Hayes is quickly becoming a favorite. "Not like George Strait or Garth Brooks, but it's a novelty," James said. "Really, this kid's been doing it since he was 1 maybe. He's certainly a prodigy." Hayes' parents, Leo and Lynette Hayes, gave their son early exposure to real live musicians. "When he was about a year old," Lynette Hayes said, "we would take him to places like this (Michaul's), where he could enjoy the band."  One such place was Mulate's in Breaux Bridge, she said. "It was just around the corner from the house, so we would take him there and he just enjoyed it. He was so fascinated, in awe when he'd look at the band. It just kind of snowballed, and he just continues to love it. He keeps us going."  A natural-born performer, Hayes knew three songs by the time he was 21/ 2. Too small to hold a real accordion, he played a toy one instead, a gift from his grandmother, Lynn Cleuse. A big fan, Cleuse attended her gifted grandson's album release show at Michaul's. "From the time he was able to stand up and he'd hear the music," Cleuse remembered, "the foot would go, he'd keep time. And then he'd pretend to play the fiddle."Cleuse was looking for a birthday present for her grandson when she came upon toy accordions in a grocery store. "He hasn't put it down since," she said. Nowadays, though, Hayes plays a fine Cajun accordion built by Clarence "Junior" Martin of Scott. Hayes enjoys the music of grown-up Cajun singer-accordion players Steve Riley and Jo-El Sonnier. His favorite musician, though, is Wayne Toups. The zydecajun showman gave Hunter some advice: Play every song like it's the last song. Whether Hayes is playing a local restaurant or appearing on national TV, audiences and cameras don't make him nervous. "Not at all," his grandmother said. "The bigger the crowd, the better he likes it. He just loves an audience."  Taking the stage last week at Michaul's with Louisiana H.O.T., his band of grown-up musicians, Hayes stood up front like an old pro. "Hello, hello," he said. "Can everyone hear me?"  "Yeah," yelled the audience of family, friends and Louisiana music industry types.

"I said," Hayes continued, "can everybody hear me?!"  "YEAH!" came the louder response. Hayes has the band leader thing in the bag, right down to frequent plugs for his new album.

"OK, y'all, this next song, of course, is off the new CD, Through My Eyes. And it's called 'Six Years Old.' "