Hailey Whitters Joins Country’s Baby Boom With First Child on the Way

Country singer Hailey Whitters has announced she is expecting her first child with husband Jake Gear. On Aug. 24, Whitters shared maternity photos taken in a cornfield, revealing that the couple will welcome a baby boy in November. The news adds to what has already been a memorable year for the singer, personally and professionally.

Whitters, who wed Gear on Oct. 1, 2022, in her hometown of Shueyville, Iowa, has always been inspired by her hometown. Their wedding and engagement were farmland and rural-inspired as they both connected to the land and the surrounding scenery, which is prominent in small-town living. The couple's story is that of over a decade of careful dating, culminating in their marriage.

Before becoming engaged, Whitters was fully focused on her job and making her breakout album, The Dream. Released in 2020, The Dream introduced her as a one to watch in country music; it included early hits like "Ten Year Town." Its deluxe edition, Living the Dream, was released in 2021 and included collaborations with several artists, including Jordan Davis and Trisha Yearwood. Whitters took her partner, Gear, along for the ride — he has contributed to her journey as a collaborator while also, of course, being her partner.

The pregnancy announcement comes in a year that has already seen several other country artists expand their families, creating what fans have dubbed a “bumper crop” of country music babies. Sam Hunt, Lady A, Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Cole Swindell, and Travis Denning are among those who have welcomed children in 2025, making Whitters' announcement part of a larger trend across the genre.

For Whitters, the upcoming months will mark a new chapter both on and off stage as she prepares to embrace motherhood while continuing to build her career in country music.