Every musician lives to feel the glory, although very few ever realize it. The members of Lady Antebellum are fortunate. Ever since country music’s hottest trio—Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood—rendezvoused at a Nashville home in 2006 for the purpose of “seeing if we could write a few songs,” life has been a blur.

“It’s been a complete whirlwind for us ever since our first single came out in 2007,” says Haywood, Lady A’s guitarist and keyboardist. “We always dreamed of this sort of thing happening, but definitely not this fast.”

“Fast” is an understatement. In the two short years since Lady Antebellum’s breakup anthem “Love Don’t Live Here” first took the country music airwaves by storm, the trio has banked Top New Duo or Group honors from the Academy of Country Music, New Artist of the Year award from the Country Music Association, and was nominated for two Grammys. The song itself peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs in May 2008, and served as the lead single for the band’s selftitled— and certified platinum—debut album. Another single from the first album, “I Run To You,” became the group’s first No. 1 (July 2009), and its current single, “Need You Now,” is burning up the charts while the band races to complete its sophomore effort, which is currently scheduled for a Jan. 26, 2010 release date.

“We’re just trying to hold on and soak it all up,” Haywood said, while taking a break from recording at Warner/Chappell’s Nashville studio. “We’re also workaholics, and we’ve put a lot of pressure on ourselves to create another great record. We stay up late at night working in the studio, picking songs and trying to find the right sound and the right music for this record. It’s a little nerve wracking, but once this record gets out and hopefully the response is good, then maybe it will be a sign that we can stick around for a little while. Our goal is to have longevity in this business. We don’t wanna be just another flash in the pan.”

If their second effort is anything like their first, Lady A won’t have to worry about that. And maybe—just maybe—it’ll land Haywood his first endorsement for guitar strings. “I’ve always just bought strings from Musicians Friend, so I know the product number and everything,” Haywood says. “It’s easier for me to get the guitar endorsement stuff, but I’ve had the toughest time with strings.” So which ones does he buy? “I think D’Addario makes the best strings in the world. I play my acoustics very aggressively, and I just don’t break the D’Addarios. I’ve tried other strings and I end up breaking one or two of them every night. My D’Addarios, though, are flawless. I’m never switching again,” he says. D’Addario, are you listening?

GUITARS : Gibson J-200 with a Fishman preamp; Gibson J-45 with an L.R. Baggs preamp.
AMPS: None … Haywood plugs directly into the mix, using only the electronics on his acoustic guitars.
EFFECTS: None
STRINGS: D’Addario EJ17 Phosphor Bronze Medium (.013 – .056) acoustic strings

—Gabriel J. Hernandez