Introduction:
Walker Hayes and Kane Brown Unite for Heartfelt “Song For My Son” — A Prayer From Fathers to Fathers
Walker Hayes and Kane Brown have joined forces for a deeply emotional collaboration that pays tribute to the joys and struggles of fatherhood. The song, titled “Song For My Son,” appears on Hayes’ new studio album 17 Problems, released Friday (August 22).
The reflective ballad stands out as one of three collaborations on the record, alongside “Mayonnaise” with Nic D and “Adderall” featuring Colbie Caillat. For Hayes, however, this track carries a special kind of weight — one born from faith, vulnerability, and love.
“It’s crazy to have a song out with [Kane Brown] that’s a prayer,” Hayes shared. “One for all to hear.”
Co-written with Billy Dawson and Ben Williams, “Song For My Son” was born in a moment of honest conversation rather than a formal writing session. “We weren’t performing — we were just talking to God,” Hayes said. “I don’t really love praying out loud. It’s tough for me to focus on my conversation with the Lord and not think about how people might be ‘grading’ my performance. But that’s really the heart of this whole album — being real about where I’m at.”
The lyrics read like a modern-day prayer, raw and unfiltered:
“Jesus, please just come on back, I need ya / I’m desperate, messed up, tryin’ to do my best but / I’m scared all I’m passin’ my son down is my bad stuff / Father, help me, how am I supposed to do this dad stuff? / I hate church but I love You / And I’m prayin’ he does too / Looks up to me but I hope he sees me lookin’ up to / Jesus, Jesus.”
Both artists bring their own depth to the song — Hayes with his trademark honesty and Brown with his soulful steadiness. Their voices blend beautifully, carrying a message that resonates far beyond country music: the universal fear and hope of raising children in an uncertain world.
For Hayes, who shares six living children — daughters Lela, Loxley, and Everly, and sons Chapel, Baylor, and Beckett — the song also carries the weight of loss. He and his wife Laney tragically lost their daughter Oakleigh shortly after birth in 2018, an experience that continues to shape his faith and artistry.
Kane Brown, too, brings personal meaning to the song. The father of three — daughters Kingsley Rose and Kodi Jane, and son Krewe Allen — has often spoken about how fatherhood has grounded him and influenced his music.
“Song For My Son” isn’t just a country song; it’s a heartfelt conversation between two dads, two believers, and two men trying to do their best — flaws and all. It’s part prayer, part confession, and wholly human.
In a time when authenticity in music can feel rare, Walker Hayes and Kane Brown deliver something refreshingly real: a reminder that even when fathers don’t have all the answers, love — and faith — can light the way.