Hillbilly Wayne

Havilah Wayne Stalnaker aka Hillbilly “Happy” Wayne, an American singer-songwriter and musician, was born in Philippi, WV. During his teen years, he moved to Leland, NC. The youngest of eight children he had no problem following the family tradition of playing music and singing traditional country songs. By the time Happy was in his teens. it was no surprise he wanted to pursue music, having been writing songs and performing for friends and family for years.

The earlier years were filled with daily chores, clearing ditches, cutting hay, mending fences, gathering coal, and feeding the animals on the family’s 40-acre farm named “Hackers Creek.” Even though the days were long, Happy said, “There was always time to sneak away to do a little huntin’ and fishin’.” In the evenings his mom and dad would gather singing and playing music until it was time to turn in for the night. Gospel music flowed every Sunday at Mary’s Chapel followed by Sunday lunch where family and friends would gather to eat and sing.

After starting a band, he soon became a local favorite at bars and backyard parties. It’s then that he realized music was his life’s passion. Within a short time, he met Tim Calhoun, a record label executive from Louisiana for Mallory Records II INC. Tim immediately spotted the potential and established a life-long bond both creatively and personally. Tim took Happy to Nashville, TN, to record a demo. The first time Happy stepped up to the microphone Tim knew there was magic. Knowing they had to make a record, Tim and Happy began writing and looking for the perfect songs. With the aid of producers T.W. Hale and Tom Harding, they wrote and gathered songs that weave a story of a man growing up in the hills of North Carolina.