Hunter Hayes’ ‘Wanted’ Goes Gold

Hunter Hayes has earned his very first gold digital single with "Wanted," the second release -- and current hit from his self-titled Atlantic Records debut. His first single, "Storm Warning," was a Top 15 hot and is also nearing gold certification, which signifies 500,000 downloads.

Hunter, now 20, wrote his first song, called "Six Years Old," when he was, yes, just six years old. He's is the only country artist to play every instrument, write or co-write every song, and co-produce his debut album. A 2012 ACM New Artist of the Year nominee, Hunter is currently selling out venues across the U.S. and Canada on his Most Wanted headline tour.

Having shared the stage with Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley and Hank Williams Jr., this fall, Hunter is set to travel with Carrie Underwood on her Blown Away tour.

Not bad for a still-young kid whose image as blossoming music was less than sophisticated.

"When I was young, I was apparently really dorky," Hunter tells The Boot. "I really just loved making music. When I found songwriting, it was sort of the only way my mind figured out how to work. I had my own little recording studio at home, which I built it because I was a total tech geek ... I had to make the music by myself or it would never get made; which is why we made the record that way, because that's just the way I've always worked and it made me more comfortable. I'm a very shy guy musically, so to be in the room with someone like [producer-guitarist] Dann Huff is intimidating enough. To make the record by myself allowed me to get a little more personal with it."

Keep track of Hunter's tour dates here.