Wayland Holyfield

Video

Oral History Information

Wayland Holyfield wrote several popular songs for both popular and country artists during a career that began singing in church as a child out in Conway County, Arkansas.  He wrote such classics as “Could I Have This Dance”, “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend”,“Till The Rivers All Run Dry” and one of the first redneck anthems called “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer.”  While still writing, Wayland became active in music publishing and worked hard on the board of directors for the Nashville branch of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  One of the most meaningful moments for Wayland was when he was asked to write a song that was adopted in 1986 as the Arkansas State Song, “Arkansas, You Run Deep In Me.”