Louis Sedell Hayes was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States,[1] to a father, an automaker, who played drums and piano.

The key influence in his early development was his cousin Clarence Stamps, an accomplished drummer who grounded his technical fundamentals and gave him lessons that stuck for life.

[6] He left Peterson in 1967, and formed a series of groups, which he led alone or with others; among his sidemen were Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Kenny Barron, and James Spaulding.

[7] Hayes has appeared on many records throughout the years, and played with John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Timmons, Hank Mobley, Booker Little, Tommy Flanagan, Cecil Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Joe Henderson, Gary Bartz, and Tony Williams.

With Cannonball Adderley With Nat Adderley With Kenny Burrell With Al Cohn With John Coltrane With Tommy Flanagan, John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, and Idrees Sulieman With Curtis Fuller With Dexter Gordon With Grant Green With Joe Henderson With John Hicks With Freddie Hubbard With Sam Jones With Clifford Jordan With Yusef Lateef With Jackie McLean With Phineas Newborn, Jr. With Horace Silver With James Spaulding With Lucky Thompson With Cedar Walton With others