Jimmy Wayne, A True Survivor
By Deborah Evans Price, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com
Among the numerous premieres on Gospel Music Channel this month, country singer/songwriter and true survivor Jimmy Wayne tells his story on Faith & Fame. Not only does Jimmy have one of country music’s most soulful voices, he has an incredible gift for channeling his life experiences into memorable songs that resonate powerfully with audiences.
Jimmy is the portrait of a survivor, a young man who has overcome an abusive childhood, homelessness and turmoil, yet found the strength to pursue his dreams. I remember the first time I ever heard him sing. I was working at Billboard Nashville when reps from Dreamworks Records brought him into our conference room. When he finished the song, grown men were weeping. His music is that powerful and his story is truly touching.
The Kings Mountain, NC native got his first break in the music biz when he auditioned for a job in entertainment at a Nashville theme park and a publisher from Sony Music Publishing was impressed enough to sign him to a songwriting deal. He moved to Nashville and landed a recording contract with Dreamworks Records. His 2003 debut spawned four hit country singles – “I Love You This Much” “You Are,” “Paper Angels,” and “Stay Gone.”
Many of the album’s songs were written about his tumultuous childhood. Jimmy recalls visiting his mother in the hospital on Mother’s Day after his stepfather had stabbed her. On another occasion, his stepfather got into an argument with Jimmy’s older brother and shot his brother’s wife, who was paralyzed from the incident. The night before that shooting, he almost killed Jimmy.
“We were driving and he pulled over to the side of the road and he said, ‘Load this gun,’” recalls Jimmy. “I loaded it and he started mumbling and started punching me. He took the gun and stuck it up to my head and something told me to move. When I moved, he shot a hole in the window of the car. I got out and ran. The next night he ended up shooting my brother’s wife.”
His biological father never really acknowledged him and Jimmy chronicled his disappointing relationship with his father in the song titled “I Love You This Much.” The opening lines say, “He can’t remember the times that he thought ‘Does my daddy love me? Probably not. But that didn’t stop him from wishing that he did.”
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Jimmy Wayne is the portrait of a survivor, a young man who has overcome an abusive childhood, homelessness and turmoil, yet found the strength to pursue his dreams.What’s your survivor story? Who do you know who has overcome adversity and how did they do it? If you are a survivor, share how you pulled through a tough situation and found redemption and peace.
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