Grammy nominated country-folk singer-songwriter Hayes Carll moved to The Woodlands in 1976 when he was 2 years old and has loved music for as long as he can remember.

“I think the population [in The Woodlands] was around 1,200 people at the time,” Carll said. “Some of my best memories are of attending concerts at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and running around in the woods and through the creeks as
a kid.”

Carll began writing songs and playing guitar when he was about 15, which was when he realized he wanted to pursue a career as a musician, he said.

Some artists who have influenced Carll’s music include Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett and John Prine, he said. Since releasing his first album, “Flowers and Liquor,” in 2002, Carll has made his sound more versatile.

“I consider myself an observer and a storyteller, and I’ve tried to chase down the things that were interesting to me,” he said. “Sometimes that means a honky-tonk band or a rock ‘n’ roll track. Sometimes, it’s just me and a guitar. At heart, I’m still the same as I was when I started this. I just have a few more tools in my toolbox.”

Carll has released five albums during his career, and his most recent album, “Lovers and Leavers,” debuted in 2016. Although Carll used to write all of his own songs, he has started collaborating with other artists recently.

“The great part about writing with other people is you can always learn something about the craft, get out of your own head a bit and get a different perspective,” he said. “The downside is that it can be a really uncomfortable experience when it’s not clicking. Opening yourself up to someone you may not know very well or don’t connect with can make for a long day.”

Carll has toured regularly for the past 15 years. Performing has had its ups and downs for him during that time, he said.

“It can be the best high there is, a miserable experience, or somewhere in between,” Carll said. “It all depends on where I’m at [in] that moment and how I’m connecting with the audience.”

In addition to touring, Carll has been releasing a new song every month on a new music site called Patreon. He also performs a monthly segment on Facebook Live called “Enough Rope,” during which he plays music and invites guests to join him.

“I’ve tried to get into new things and give myself more time to have a normal life,” Carll said.