Texas guitarist seems to entrance everyone who encounters his music. Drawing from multiple schools of solo guitar, his 2023 album ‘The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored’ was a lyrical, inviting, truly enchanting song cycle, a release that became something of a breakout moment.

For the follow-up, Hayden secluded himself in rural Wyoming, drawing on 50s country and The Little House On The Prairie as touchstones. Out now, new album ‘I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away’ is succinct but endlessly evocative, the layered guitars hinting at entire worlds, with each song feeling like a condensed movie.

A beguiling return, ‘I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away’ will be followed by some rare UK dates, with Hayden Pedigo playing a flurry of headline shows in August before hitting End Of The Road Festival.

Ahead of this, Clash caught up with the guitarist to discuss his approach to the instrument, creative processes, and his desire to move away from the past.

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It was definitely somewhat surprising, I do believe the groundwork was started with my record ‘Letting Go’, which was my first for the label Mexican Summer. I feel like that album set up what would come with the ‘ The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored’. I honestly believe ‘I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away’ is an even further extension on what we had going with Happiest Times too, so I feel like the ball has just kept rolling!

I mean, it doesn’t really bother me. I just don’t think it’s the most accurate description of what I do. I understand why Fahey came up with the term because at the time there was really nothing like the type of guitar playing he was doing. It was based on a French painting movement that was all about being untaught/untrained and I think Fahey felt a kinship with that approach. The only problem is that his music does not sound primitive at all, and it can be kind of confusing having a genre tag that doesn’t really match the sound. My music definitely feels more melodic/romantic, so I don’t necessarily align with that descriptor, but I also understand that’s how a lot of people have found my music so I don’t really have a problem with it. 

It was kind of a random situation where a friend told me about this residency in Wyoming at the U-Cross Foundation and on a whim I applied for it. Luckily I was accepted, and I went out there and wrote what became this album. I was in a house by myself, and the silence was so intense. I definitely cried a lot because of it, but I think that environment was exactly what I needed to write these songs. It was just a really intense emotional feeling. It was a really beautiful place to write.

Oh absolutely, I definitely set out to write a record that tied this whole thing up. All three of these albums have had an underlying theme of loss, forgiveness and redemption. I wanted to make a record that when it ended, you could go back to the very first record and restart the whole thing like a film trilogy or something. I definitely feel like they are tied together in such a beautiful way. It’s basically the story of the last five years of my life hidden in these albums.

Usually, I don’t pull much from film or TV for inspiration when writing songs but before I started writing this album, I was revisiting Little House on the Prairie again because I watched it a lot as a kid. I forgot how interesting and strange that show was . When I finally got to the episode the title was pulled from it made me very emotional. My wife told me “why don’t you call your next album that“ it was the perfect title and it’s pulling from such a place of childhood nostalgia.

I think it was just a natural sense of exploration. It ended up feeling like an old Chet Atkins piece or something from the 1950s. I used a lot of chords and sounds I’ve never used before in my songs. It’s a very literal piece of music. Whenever I write something this straightforward it almost feels corny. but I think there’s a fine line between sincerity and corny where the magic happens. 

This song was wanting to make a grand statement to open the record. It just opens so immediately, and we really went full on with the overdubs. I just wanted it to rattle speakers! It feels like a triumphant statement. Just this optimistic opening to the story that eventually gets kind of sad…

I just mess around with the tuning pegs on my guitar until I find a tuning that sounds cool to my ears, then I start poking around looking for a melody. I don’t always find one. It’s kind of like fishing. It’s just searching around in the dark until you find something that sticks.

I had been wanting to work with Scott on a record for a very long time. He’s one of my favorite producers out there. I knew going out to his studio in California that I was bringing the strongest songs I’ve ever written, and I felt very confident in the work we were going to do together because I trust his approach and I knew I had done my job writing these songs. It ended up being such a flawless process making this record with him. It was just fun and easy, but we were also so dialled in and focused. I think we really pulled off something incredible.

I think they can expect a lot more songs this time around! I’m really excited to come back because the response to my first tour in Europe was so incredible. I feel like I’m coming back over with a much better live show now I can easily play an hour and a half and not run out of songs, and I like to tell a lot of stories too. 

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‘I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away’ is out now.

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