This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For six years, San Francisco soul-singing rocker Sean Hayes had a lyric floating around his head: "You may spend all your money before you turn to dust."
It kept coming up during his songwriting — along with an image of a baby — but he never was able to use it.
That is, until his son was born two years ago.
Now, along with those opening lines, comes the lyrics: My little boy is smiling, soon he'll be sitting up, holding his own weight, grabbing for you." "It took a long time for that song to reveal itself," said Hayes, whose album "Before We Turn to Dust" was released on the unfortunately timed date of Sept. 11, 2012. (It was not his intention for the album title to refer to the 9/11 tragedy.)
Having a child has changed him, Hayes said, and said he had a long conversation with his wife being deciding to have a child, just as he had a long conversation with her when they were deciding to get married.
He didn't want to be an absentee dad, and he hasn't been, although this State Room date is the last show of a six-week trek.
While he is happy to be playing music for a living, he is also happy that he gets to see his son very soon.
Birds of Chicago and Awna Teixeira open.
When • Friday, 9 p.m.Where • The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake CityTickets • $16 at thestateroom.com