Waino Talks Music, Vol. II
Former major league baseball pitcher Adam Wainwright will be a hall of famer one day. He is a shoe in for the accolade from the St. Louis Cardinals, his professional organization for nearly two decades. In addition, Adam is a relative lock to earn the esteemed honor from the state of Georgia, the land of his birth. He even has a good shot at the revered National Baseball Hall of Fame. But if his on-field success translates to his new profession, then member of the Country Music Hall of Fame just may top Wainwright’s résumé.
With over 2,200 career strikeouts, 200 wins, and two World Series titles, Adam’s on-field achievement left little to be desired. “Waino”, as he is known to Cardinals Nation, was ready to walk away in 2023. But unlike so many freshly retired athletes, Wainwright already had a plan in motion. As a young man, the former top prospect enjoyed singing and writing lyrics. In the minor leagues, he took up guitar as a way to combat the doldrums of the road. But baseball glory was always the dream for the Brunswick, Georgia native. After 18 years starring in the big leagues, Waino decided to pursue another dream, music stardom.
In April of 2024 Adam released his debut album, appropriately titled Hey Y’all. Produced by Grammy winning songwriter Gary Baker, the project includes 13 tracks, all of which are written or co-written by Waino.
Now aged 44, the former three-time All Star has fully committed to his one-time hobby. And if he pursues music with the same relentless passion that defined his baseball career, Wainwright will be a multi-medium hall of famer for certain. However, Adam happily admits that he is very much “learning on the job.” In the parlance of his former profession, he is just warming up. This is Waino talking music, volume two.
“Very similar with music”
You’re always trying to figure out if there’s something that can help you be a better player, and that’s very similar with music. I’ve just started harmonica lessons, trying to pick up on ways to bring something new to the experience…I want to start learning piano soon.
“You can’t get that anywhere else”
Walking onto a stage is the closest thing there is to running out onto the field to play a baseball game. You can’t get that anywhere else.
“A Song Will Bring You Back”
There are songs in everyone’s life, when you hear it, it takes you back to a specific moment in your life. There are a couple of big songs, (Alabama’s) ‘Dixieland Delight’ and (Brooks & Dunn’s) ‘Neon Moon’ that take me back to big, turning-point moments. So, it’s a song about that.
“I love it and am having fun”
In some ways I don’t define it with album sales or streams. I find success in it because I love it and am having fun with it. And creating new sounds and new music…I love turning a phrase. I heard Garth Brooks say turning a phrase is taking something somebody says and going, “I like that,” and then being able to write a song off of it. That’s one of my favorite ways to write.
“The pressure is on you”
I like that pressure. As a starting pitcher, the whole game relies on you. As the lead singer in a band, the pressure is on you. If you go up there and fumble all the words and forget all the chords, you’re going to look like a knucklehead on stage.
“The other World Series”
I tell people when I go onstage: The World Series for me — Grand Ole Opry. The other World Series for me would be standing onstage and singing to a crowd where everybody knew my songs and was singing back to me. That probably would mean success to me.
The Opry
“I was thrown into the fire. One of my first appearances, bigger shows, was the Grand Ole Opry”. Wainwright made his Opry debut in March of 2024. The show also featured another musician making his debut. A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame named Don McLean.
“Take the name out of it”
We’re making cool country music. And if you like kind of throwback ‘90s style, we got a seven-piece band. We got steel and fiddle in the band. We’re making authentic, real, cool country music. If you like that, then take the name out of it. Give us a chance.
“Hopefully that’s infectious”
More than being a great player, cause I grew up without a dad, I want to be a really good dad. I want to be a really good husband. I want to be a really good friend. And hopefully that’s infectious.
