Spotlights On: Drew Hale

From El Paso to Traverse City: Drew Hale's Musical Journey

El Paso, Texas-born, now Traverse City singer-songwriter Drew Hale has become a household name across many Northern Michigan venues, but his pavement-to-performing story of how he got there is one to remember.

Hale, featuring a signature guitar strap.

When he first reached Traverse City 18 years ago, he moved up for a church music director position; a natural segue after spending his childhood playing in worship groups and even a band called “Altarmotive.” Influences like James Taylor, John Mayer, and Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue became hyperfixations, only furthering his interest and musical inspirations throughout his journey.  In 2016, he became a 2016 Country Showdown Ryman Auditorium winner, and things began to change.

From there, touring kicked off in September 2016 with a 21-day tour of Texas and the Southwest. This was a direct result of the Country Showdown win and the $100,000 grand prize. 

According to Hale, he got a “van, a sound system, and a couple guys to hit the road with, and [he’s] been there ever since.”

On top of the win at the Ryman, Hale was a winner of the Tractor Supply Emerging Artists Program competition in 2023, and his song “River Jordan” was chosen by Lainey Wilson, leading to a year long mentorship and performance with her and Lauren Alaina at the Grand Ol’ Opry. 

The Path from Pavement-Pounding to Performing

However, the bright lights and road life didn’t find him overnight.

It’s widely acknowledged that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. Hale says he surpassed that in his 30’s alone—not counting hundreds invested in equipment like speakers and soundboards, or countless hours of quality time with family and friends missed in favor of rehearsing or gigs.   

"People don't realize how much work goes into that,” he explained. “You're basically a small business, too."

When his first album, Eyes Closed Tight, was released in 2011, he handed out 100 demo CD’s around Traverse City across six weeks, only to receive eight calls back, which resulted in no more than four or five gigs. 

As he slowly integrated into the music community, he saw performers like Levi Britton—once an inspiration, now a duo-performance partner—on stages around town, with hopes to eventually reach the level they were at. 

Soon enough, after a bit of time spent on introductions and getting to know one another as artists, Hale became Britton’s recommendation. 

"Levi would tell people, 'Hey, if I'm ever not able to play, call Drew,’” Hale described.

Paying It Forward

For him, much of the pattern he sees in the Traverse City music scene is that of community and paying it forward. Despite having a hard time breaking in, he realized that it’s not just range or talent; it’s relationships that matter when it comes to making it in Traverse City.

Even after years, Hale's passion flows through the strings.

Now, he’s doing the same for upcoming artists in the scene, in a big way. Stepping into production during breaks from performing, he launched a small record label, Dead Honey Productions, in June of 2026. Currently, he’s put out a full-length album for Mark Stackable, as well as an upcoming seven-song EP for Juliette Rae, including recently released “Fate or God.”

Even with the new venture in the label, Hale has continued creating, digging deeper in his upcoming music than he ever has, with major influence coming from the storytelling of Americana and alt-country singer-songwriter Jason Isbell. 

Mental Health: The Center of Drew Hale's New Music

“I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 four years ago now,” he recounted. “I want people to know through my music that they're not alone, and it's okay to talk about it."

His upcoming track “Bipolar” names the condition directly, and he’s approaching it in a raw way rarely seen before: writing from inside the experience. In another song, “I Let Myself Go”, he works hard to reframe a commonly known phrase in casual conversation. Rather than meaning decline—physically or mentally— he flips it to become letting himself off the hook for who other people expected him to be.

“Forgiving ourselves and letting ourselves off the hook for the things we've been holding on to our entire lives, sometimes it's the only way moving forward,” he said.

Hale hopes to release the album in 2027. 

As he continues to dive deeper into the scene, even years later, he’s found himself continuing to challenge himself musically. It’s left him with one simple piece of advice for new musicians: 

"If you're thinking about writing a song, you don't need to have all the tools; just sit down and write,” he said. “It doesn't have to rhyme; it doesn't even have to make sense. Just start somewhere.”

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To listen to his music or for details about upcoming news and performances, follow Drew Hale on Instagram or check out his website.