“We've Just Been So Freaking Blessed”: Parker McCollum Pays Touching Tribute to His Wife, Hallie Ray, Ahead of Baby No. 2

During a recent conversation with Cody Alan for SiriusXM’s The Highway, Parker McCollum has underlined his excitement ahead of welcoming baby No. 2, as well as paying tribute to the way in which his wife, Hallie Ray, has handled both pregnancies.

Parker and Hallie Ray welcomed their first child, Major Yancey Tyler McCollum, in August 2024, with the couple revealing they were expecting their second on Christmas Day.

When Cody asked about the prospect of becoming a father of two, McCollum gushes, “Golly, that's real. We're excited, man. I know Hallie Ray is really excited. Watching our wild animal run around the house right now, I'm like, “Are we really about to do this again?” And we absolutely are...Cody, we've just been so freaking blessed, dude. I mean...the career has been awesome and the family is healthy and you know Major, our little man we got right now, is just the freaking, you know, brightest light in the world - and setting the bar high for number two”.

After getting engaged in July 2021, the couple tied the knot with a Tomball, Texas ceremony the following year. Parker and Hallie Ray had been on-and-off again partners during the start of the former's music career, with Parker even writing a song dedicated to and named after Hallie Ray shortly after they met. The track appeared on Parker's stellar Hollywood Gold EP, which arrived back in November 2020.

While chatting to Cody, Parker has paid tribute to how composed and level-headed Hallie Ray has remained throughout both pregnancies, “No, [she hasn't changed] physically or emotionally. Thank you, Lord. She's pretty steady. She's a steady head”.

He cites Hallie Ray's equanimity as the perfect balance for his own personality, “Same exact person every single day. She needs about an hour in the morning to get the juices flowing. You know, I'm a morning person. It's even before my eyes open. Every morning of my life before my eyes even open, my brain's going...I will lay there before I even...open my eyes, and have a thousand thoughts in my head. It's about an hour after she wakes up before she's really kicked into gear. But she is the exact same person every single day...Opposites attracted there for sure. I'm all over the place. I'm nine different people before I get out of the shower in the morning. And she is just steady, man. I mean, you can't rattle her”.

As for Hallie Ray's pregnancy cravings, Parker jokes, “[She hasn't had] any crazy strong ones. I think she would, you know, she would kind of say, "Oh, I have a craving," just because she wanted something a little dirty or sweet. You know, a little naughty treat, like maybe a vanilla Dr. Pepper or, you know, whatever have you. But no, not anything too out of the ordinary or over the top. I mean, I'll tell you, man, she's just like her dad. She is just as cool as one can be all day, every day”.

Hallie Ray continues to serve as a prominent muse for Parker, with the ‘Pretty Heart’ hitmaker delving into their love-story on his 2025 self-titled album, on vulnerable, heart-on-his-sleeve odes such as ’Hope That I'm Enough’ and ‘What Kinda Man’.

As Parker gears up for his 2026 tour, featuring Vincent Mason, Gabby Barrett, Max McNown and more, he's finally treating fans to the long-awaited unreleased gem, ‘Big Ol’ Fancy House’, which was initially included as a digital bonus track on Parker McCollum. Parker's been teasing this forlorn ode for around two years, and we can't wait to be able to stream the full studio version on January 23rd.

After this, it remains to be seen whether the Texas native will have any more new music up his sleeve. But given how prolific a songwriter Parker is, we wouldn't be surprised if he follows up his lauded 2025 album with a smattering of stellar new singles, before re-entering full Dad mode when Baby No. 2 arrives later this year...

For more on Parker McCollum, see below: