Introduction:
Walker Hayes and Kane Brown Unite for Emotional Fatherhood Anthem “Song For My Son”
Country stars Walker Hayes and Kane Brown have joined forces on an emotional new collaboration, “Song For My Son,” a heartfelt tribute to the challenges and joys of being a father.
The track appears on Hayes’ new studio album, 17 Problems, which dropped on Friday (August 22). The powerful ballad stands as one of three collaborations on the record, alongside “Mayonnaise” featuring Nic D and “Adderall” featuring Colbie Caillat.
Hayes described the collaboration with Brown as deeply personal:
“It’s crazy to have a song out with [Kane Brown] that’s a prayer. One for all to hear.”
Written with Billy Dawson and Ben Williams, the song was born from a moment of raw honesty. Hayes shared that the session didn’t feel like writing — it felt like “talking to God.”
“I don’t really love praying out loud,” Hayes admitted. “It’s tough for me to focus on my conversation with the Lord without thinking about how people might be judging my words. That really is the heart of this whole album — trying to be honest about faith, fear, and fatherhood.”
The song’s lyrics reveal a moving, vulnerable message:
“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?”
Both artists draw inspiration from their own families. Hayes and his wife Laney share six children — daughters Lela, Loxley, and Everly, and sons Chapel, Baylor, and Beckett — and honor the memory of their late daughter Oakleigh, who passed away shortly after birth in 2018.
Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn are also proud parents, raising daughters Kingsley Rose and Kodi Jane, and their young son Krewe Allen.
With its honest lyrics and soul-stirring harmonies, “Song For My Son” captures what it means to be a modern dad — imperfect, prayerful, and full of love. The collaboration marks one of the most emotionally resonant moments on Hayes’ 17 Problems, celebrating faith, vulnerability, and the powerful bond between fathers and their children.