Parker McCollum and Wife Hallie Ray Welcome First Child, Son Major

Photo byInstagram/Parker McCollum

Parker McCollum is a dad! McCollum and his wife, Hallie Ray, welcomed their first child, son Major Yancey Tyler McCollum, into the world on August 8.

The couple first shared the good news on social media.

McCollum, who is currently headlining his Burn It Down Tour, hinted earlier this month that by his next tour date he would be a father.

“Minnesota and Wisconsin were electric this past weekend,” McCollium wrote on August 6, two days before Major’s arrival. “They were also the last two shows I’ll ever play before I’m a dad. I’ve got two weeks off to welcome little man into the world this week and I am so grateful to God for a healthy Hallie Ray, a healthy baby, the best fans in the world, the best band and crew in the world and the best friends and family ever.

“Going to enjoy this much needed time off and HAVE A FREAKING KID,” he added. “48 hours till I’m forever known as dad. Love yall! See you soon!”

McCollum might already be a proud father, but he won’t be sharing those thoughts in his music. The 32-year-old says that it’s unlikely he will write any songs about fatherhood, for one very good reason.

“No Dad songs for me. I don’t want to write cliché dad songs,” McCollum told Audacy over the summer, adding that if “one falls out one day” he might include it on a project.

“I just want to be extremely genuine and energetic,” he continued. “I want to make sure when these people go home, they feel like the money they spent or the money they saved up to come see you was worth every penny — that’s what I think about every night.”

McCollum is having an unforgettable 2024. In addition to welcoming his baby boy, McCollum also won the ACM Award for Visual Media of the Year for his music video for “Burn It Down.” That song and its predecessor, “Handle on You,” which both landed at the top of the charts, are from McCollum’s latest Never Enough album, released in 2023.

“I just wanna be known as a good songwriter,” McCollum, who wrote all but one of the 15 tracks on the record, told Everything Nash. “I don’t necessarily think about writing hit songs. I just try to write the best songs I can. I’ve been lucky enough to have ‘I Can’t Breathe’ and ‘Hell Of a Year’ and ‘Pretty Heart’ and ‘To Be Loved By You’ all be big songs. ‘Like a Cowboy’ was a big song, but it was never on the radio. It was on The Highway [SiriusXM radio station]. That was it, and that’s one of the biggest songs of our show. So I just try to write good songs, the best I can, and hopefully people like them.”

Find all of McCollum’s music and tour dates at ParkerMcCollum.com.