Meet Drew Hale | Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Drew Hale and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Drew, how do you define success?
Success, for me, means being able to feed my family and keep a roof over their heads doing what I love. I’m so grateful for the opportunities and the accolades I’ve had over the course of my career, this past year particularly; but at the end of the day, if I can play music and be able to make a living, that’s really all I can ask for.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a songwriter, and I’ve been working on my craft since I was 12 years old. To me, the thing that really sets me apart from my peers is my focus on writing real life stories, and tackling issues that a lot of writers don’t, especially in the country music genre. I’ve struggled really heavily with my mental health the last few years. It’s taken a toll on my health, my family, my marriage, and my career. It’s taken a great deal of work to get myself to a point where I feel mostly in control of it, and a large part of what I feel has helped me process is writing songs about what I’ve experienced and seen others experience.

In fact, I’m working on a new album right now based on the struggles of the past few years. There are songs about depression, anxiety, coping with self-medication, my relationship with my kids, and even about almost losing my marriage. It’s a picture of real life and real struggles, and it’s probably the most personal material I’ve ever recorded.

What I want the world to know about my story is that they’re not alone. Depression can isolate you to the point where you feel like no one could possibly understand what you’re feeling, and like your struggles are too much to burden people with. So you end up carrying it alone, often without anyone having any idea. I want people to know that they are not ‘too much’, or their struggles ‘too heavy’ for the people who love them to handle. I want them to know that someone has been there, and that they don’t have to carry it by themselves. Mental health has been a huge focus for me and my brand these last couple of years, and I’m excited to get this material out there.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Breakfast: J&S South Airport or Jennifer’s roundabout in Mesick

Coffee: 7 Brews (get the smooth 7), or Table 12 coffeehouse

Lunch: Brady’s Bar or Oakwood Proper Burgers

Dinner (casual): Firefly or Sparks BBQ

Dinner (fancy): Nittolos or Jolly Pumpkin

Drinks and nightlife: North Bar, Mammoth Distilling, The Parlor, or Traverse City Whiskey Co.

Live Music: Encore 201

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m going to stick with 2023 for this shoutout, and thank Tractor Supply, Lainey Wilson, and the amazing women at FlyteVue for the opportunities they gave me this year to get my name and music out on a national level, and put me on the Grand Ole Opry stage for the first time.

Website: drewhalelive.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/drewhalelive

Twitter: Twitter.com/drewhalelive

Facebook: Facebook.com/drewhalebandd

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DrewHale?si=reOSRhZ130QAqCW_

Other: TikTok.com/drewhalelive