Georgia Calls Me Home Clayton Hackle Written by Shannon Grindler Photography by Frank Fortune

Georgia calls me Clayton Hackle home

WRITTEN BY SHANNON GRINDLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

“E very place I’ve ever been was on my way back home”. Governor Zell Miller, a Georgia native, frequently quoted this axiom when describing his affection for his home state. He understood the almost tidal pull of the South, a place difficult to explain if one has not fully experienced the beauty of its landscapes or the hospitality of its people. Clayton Hackle understands this sense of place. Born and raised in the tiny community of Evergreen, Georgia, Hackle’s new release, “Georgia Calls Me Home” pays homage to, as he says, his little slice of heaven. When we spoke, we examined what it means to live here and more broadly, the universal notion of home. The place where you encounter your first love or experience extraordinary heartache. In this sense, home is not merely a location, it is the hallowed ground of the soul. „

Clayton Hackle

Clayton Hackle’s music career began on a somber note. In his late teens, he struggled with the loss of his beloved grandmother. They shared an exceptionally close relationship and her death left him reeling. In need of an outlet, he focused his grief into words and penned what would be his first song. It was an exercise in healing versus musical ambition but what resulted was honest and authentic, traits you will recognize immediately upon meeting Hackle. An old soul well beyond his 28 years, Clayton has managed to find a balance some never seem to find. Gratitude envelops all he says and does. He is content, but not complacent. His enthusiasm for country music practically spills out of him and he acknowledges there is more music to come. Clayton remembers being drawn to country music at a young age. In their house full of boys, a radio was always tuned to a country station; the sounds of Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw permeate Hackle’s earliest memories.

His musical roots, like many, had their origins in church. For our interview, aside from discussing the music industry and family histories, we sat on the porch and recited old hymns and recalled the southern gospel groups we watched on television as kids. Guided by the Apostle Matthew’s wisdom to “seek ye first the Kingdom of God”, Hackle’s faith is evident in every aspect of his life. Just like every great country song, there is also a woman in the mix. In this case, Hackle’s wife of four years, Leah. An incredible artist in a variety of mediums, Leah’s commissioned work includes painting live weddings, portraiture, and natural landscapes. A self-taught artist, Leah is now an elementary school art teacher and the proprietor of Margaret Leah Artistry. Clayton credits his wife with keeping him grounded. He says she is the constant, steady force he leans on to weather the inevitable ups and downs of a music career. His previous single, “When I See Her Smile”, is a tribute to her strength and calming presence in his life. Clayton also jokes that Leah, a talented violinist and guitarist, is the “real musician” in the family.

The creation of his latest release is a hard-won story of synergy, beginning with the discovery of renowned music producer, Grady Saxman, and the exceptional talent of numerous recording musicians in Nashville. A student of the industry, Hackle explained the elusive nature of what determines success and the seemingly prescriptive formula of what makes a great country song. He lamented how easily an artist can overthink each chord progression, each word, each lyric. Yet sometimes, magic happens. “Georgia Calls Me Home” is that kind of magic. Hackle’s passion for his home, his music, his faith, his people, harmonized together into beautiful lyrics and became something „

You can find Clayton’s Music on Apple Music, YouTube, and Spotify. See up-to-date tour information, visit ClaytonHackle.com

authentic and timeless. “It’s part of who I am and who I’ll always be”; the words of the chorus shed light on why the creation of this song felt so effortless to Hackle. This was a song that began in that small house in Evergreen with country music playing. It was written on each lazy day spent on a creek bank. It emerged from sitting in a church pew as well as in the bleachers of a Braves game. It wrote itself with every simple joy and every test of faith Clayton Hackle experienced.

So, what is next? Navigating the challenges of a music career can be complex. Navigating the challenges of a music career in a pandemic? Much more so. Hackle had planned a concert scheduled for May of this year, but because of the statewide shutdowns, it had to be postponed. He looks to host the event at Dutch Ford Farms, an event venue in nearby Metter, in late November. The event will feature various musical acts with Hackle as the headliner. A music video for his new release is also underway. Shot in multiple locations, Hackle hopes to capture Georgia’s natural beauty to serve as the backdrop for his tribute to his home state. A music career is fulfilling, exhaustive, and relentless work. Clayton characterizes it as something that can bring you great joy and break your heart in the same day. While it requires the utmost level of devotion, sometimes luck, or perhaps fate, intervenes and all the pieces fall into place.

Hackle remembers an evening in Nashville after a long day of recording when he ran into Paul Sanders, the lead bass player for the band, Shenandoah, playing a set at AJ’s Good Time Bar. Clayton met Sanders when he opened for Shenandoah in 2019. Sanders asked Hackle to come up onstage, and with no instruments, no music, no preparation, Clayton found himself singing in one of Nashville’s most popular venues under the famous Broadway lights. Some things just can’t be planned. This is a testimony of what it takes for success in music. With hard work, passion, talent, and perhaps a little luck, Clayton Hackle has faith that his future will unfold as it should. Georgia may always call him home, but we look forward to everywhere his music will take him before it does. S