Jimmy Wayne – Interview

There are hard times and then there is Jimmy Wayne. Inspiration is his middle name.

I read your bio and I wonder if you could have optioned to write a book if country music didn’t happen.

Both (We both laugh) Actually I’ve thought about doing both. We all have a story to tell and we all relate to each others story. I think that a lot of us have that same experience in life with the trials and tribulations we have to go through. At the time, I was thinking it was the hardest thing in the world to conquer and I thought it was the only one and wondering why. Now I understand why I’m where I’m at. I have the opportunity to write songs give back by helping somebody who may feel the same way I felt. I hope to give them some hope.

The ultimate gift back might be helping a fan who thinks their life is tough and then hear your songs.

Everyone knows the power of a song and it takes you back to that place. Just that power of words can heal.

I know that music can be the soundtrack of your life. What is it like to think that ten years from now someone might come to you on the street and say one of your songs is the soundtrack to their life?

It’s pretty wild. I walked outside one day, I live in the city – music road, and there are these homeless guys who dig in the dumpsters. One day I went out and there was this homeless guy and he yelled for me and of course you automatically think they are going to ask you for some money. He came over and said ‘I don’t want any money’. He was dirty and his hands were dirty and he said ‘I would shake your hand but mine are dirty’ and he started to tell me this story of why he is doing what he is doing and so depressed. His family was killed in a car wreck and I thought what is he setting me up for? Your first instinct is to believe there is a scam but he started crying and he started wiping his face with his dirty hands. I thought that he might be telling the truth. So we kept talking and he said ‘you know it might sound funny and a weird thing to say but I want to say how much “Stay Gone” has meant to me’. I was like ‘what?’ I couldn’t believe it. He said he heard my song, saw my face, knew where I lived and he just wanted to thank me. So I got my journal and I asked him to sign it. I see him out there all the time and he talks to me. He has never asked me for one dime. He’s a really cool guy.

Sometimes you’ll hear someone singing a song but you don’t always feel that they have emotion, but with you I can feel the pain. Was it emotional to put this song down on a cd knowing its there forever?

Oh yeah. This is going in history and can’t be taken back. When it is on the radio and out there it is out there. There is no turning back. It’s like an old picture and put it in the album it’s there.

“Paper Angels” reminded me of a story told by my neighbor who is an elderly man and has gone through the great depression, the dust bowl and everything else. But he left home and was hopping box cars as a teen across country. The one thing that saved him was the hand outs of soup kitchens and a change of clothes from the Salvation Army. Without that he wouldn’t have gotten a ride from people home because they would have thought him a bum.

They helped me out. I was on a lot of those trees, my sister and I both. We were in and out of foster and group homes. I was living on the street while I was fourteen, fifteen and sixteen years old. I was living in everybody’s house. I was rescued by a really good Christian family when I was sixteen and if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am now. It really goes to show you the power of what one person can do and the effect one person can have over another’s life. It’s astronomical. It’s unbelievable what they did for me. I wouldn’t be here.

You must get asked a lot to do speeches for schools? Like when you were in school and the guy from the jail came and talked to your school about staying on the right path and he sang which inspired you.

You definitely get asked to participate in fund raisers and certain things. I would always say yes but my management company has to remind me that I have other obligations as well otherwise I’d agree to it all. (We both laugh) I’d be like ‘let’s raise some money’ and they are like ‘hold on cowboy’. (We both laugh)

I think you should definitely write a book. It would inspire a lot of kids to go after there dreams.

I think if you really put your mind to something you can do it. Five and a half years ago I couldn’t stand on stage and play guitar. I didn’t have enough talent as a kid to play guitar. I started really late. I hired a guitar teacher when I was in Nashville and I applied myself and stayed focused. It’s just me and my guitar. When I played the Grand Old Opera it’s just me and my guitar. You just have to apply yourself.

Do you see the ability to learn a gift or is it all about the effort?

I see it as both. You do have to apply yourself. If someone says ‘I can’t play the guitar’ I say ‘yes you can’. If you can tap your feet you have rhythm. You can learn. You learned how to walk. That’s rhythm.

Did you have songs done before the record was recorded?

I had some songs written.

I know you were writing songs before you were signed for other artists, did you write the songs for yourself or did you think about selling them.

For myself. Oh yeah, with out a doubt. I had no plan B. People say what is your Plan B and I said I didn’t have one. If you do then that means you have some doubts. I don’t have that doubt and I was going to do it.

These songs were so personal, is there no way you could ever see anyone singing them.

Some I couldn’t imagine someone singing many of them, but I could imagine someone singing “After You” and a few others that are partial that could be sung by other people.

Did you move to Nashville just to be an artist or to explore all possibilities?

To be an artist.

You got that dream, what is the next dream?

Writing another song. Eventually I would love to have a family and kids. That would be neat.

Jimmy Wayne is nothing if not sincere. The kind of guy you’d be friends with the rest of your life. Feel the inspiration?

+ Charlie Craine