Rising Katy Country Star Signs Publishing Deal with Ronnie Dunn

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

February 28, 2022

By Natalie Cook Clark

Katy native Hayden Baker continues to gain major attention in the Country music scene with songs landing in the Top 40 and Top 20 charts. His next venture of signing with Ronnie Dunn’s Perfect Pitch Publishing company will help him grow as a songwriter and entertainer.

Back row - Braden Carney, Ronnie Dunn, Haley Dunn, Front row - Hayden Baker, Thomas Perkins, Ariel Boetel, Dakota Striplin

Photo courtesy of Perfect Pitch Publishing

A Katy Native Country Star

Katy country fans know Hayden Baker, 24, from his performances at Katy’s Central Green Park and the Katy Rice Harvest Festival just to mention a few. He’s been singing since the age of 3 and now has 2 country albums out with singles making it on the Top 40 and Top 20 charts.

Hayden is a Katy High School graduate that was part of the 2015 Katy Tiger football team State Championship. He also led the Tiger baseball team in Batting Average in 2016, a sport passion he often sings about.

Baker recently signed with Perfect Pitch Publishing company owned by Country music legend Ronnie Dunn from the duo Brooks and Dunn.

“I’m a huge fan of Ronnie’s stuff,” says Hayden Baker. “I’m a huge fan of Brooks & Dunn…that’s one of my main influences as far as country music as a whole and songwriting go…I was an athlete, and I’m used to tough love.”

Wrote 60 Songs Last Year

And Baker wants that ‘tough love.’ According to Baker, Dunn told him “I’m going to be very hard on you and a tough coach, and you’re not going to like it sometimes.”

He’s more than a performer. Baker has penned close to 60 songs in the last year and plans to double that in the coming months. Before taking this next step in his career, Baker graduated from Texas A&M in 2021 and was in Nashville two days later.

Baker’s most recent album is “Against the Grain.” It was released independently in 2020 and the single “Waitin’ on Love” hit the Top 20 charts at Texas country radio. He’s also earned an Emerging New Artist nomination at the Texas County Music Awards.

He has welcomed the opportunity to work with some of Nashville’s top hitmakers. “I noticed from the first trip up there the difference in speed that they can put out songs and the attention to detail and quality,” says Baker. “I’ve written with so many people, and I’ve learned so much from every single one of them”.

Staying True to Katy

But this rising star is staying true to his Katy roots. He’s set to launch his whiskey through his partnership with MKT Distillery in the coming weeks. His whiskey is named after his album, “Against the Grain” and will be available in surrounding Spec’s and Total Wine stores.

“I definitely pull from the experience of growing up in this town in my songwriting,” says Baker. “Everything from the Friday night lights atmosphere to having a margarita at the Los Cucos on 90!”

Playing in Katy April 15

Baker’s next performance in Katy will be April 15 at the Wildcatter Saloon. He’ll be sharing the stage with Aaron Watson. Tickets are for sale online.

“I always love coming home and playing here. It’s a blessing to have such a strong, loving support system in this town,” says Baker. “They’ve been with me since the start.”

Baker’s new involvement with Dunn brings his musical journey full circle. At the age of 3, Baker received a special autograph on his guitar. At the time Ronnie Dunn wrote, “Hayden practice” under his signature. Hayden has done that and continues to do so now as part of Dunn’s Perfect Pitch Publishing.

He will continue to play shows throughout the Texas circuit and beyond while he works on new songs for his next project with some of the best writers in the country.

Follow Katy’s Hayden Baker at his website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.