Wayne Mills (singer) explained

Wayne Mills
Birth Name:Jerald Wayne Mills
Birth Date:17 August 1969
Birth Place:Arab, Alabama, U.S.
Death Place:Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Years Active:1999–2013
Instrument:Vocals, guitar
Occupation:Singer-songwriter
Associated Acts:Wayne Mills Band, Taylor Hicks, Jamey Johnson, Blake Shelton

Jerald Wayne Mills (August 17, 1969 – November 23, 2013) was an American country musician, known for touring with the Wayne Mills Band for over fifteen years and playing alongside Blake Shelton, Jamey Johnson and 2006 American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.[1] [2] During his career, Mills released five studio albums (with a sixth unreleased) and two live albums. He had seven Top 20 singles in Europe from 2008 to 2010, including a chart-topper in Belgium in 2009.[3]

Mills played baseball for Wallace State Junior College and football for the University of Alabama, earning a bachelor of science degree in education.

In the early hours of November 23, 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee, Mills was shot in the head by bar owner Chris Ferrell, allegedly over an argument involving Mills lighting up a cigarette in a nonsmoking area. He was rushed to a hospital but later died.[4] [5] The incident occurred towards the end of an afterparty at the bar following a recent makeover it received for the television show Bar Rescue, with its episode scheduled to air the following day. The episode featuring it was later pulled, and the bar closed shortly after.[6] The building was demolished in 2016. On March 6, 2015, Ferrell was found guilty of second-degree murder in Mills' death and received a twenty-year sentence with no possibility of parole.[7] The verdict and sentence were appealed[8] but were upheld by the appeals court in 2019.[9] Mills left behind wife Carol, whom he had married in 2000,[10] seven-year-old son Jack, and six-year-old niece Cali.

In popular culture

Mills is the subject of the song "King of Alabama" by Brent Cobb.[11]

Discography (with Wayne Mills Band)

TitleAlbum detailsNotes
The Wayne Mills Band
  • Release date: June 13, 1999[12]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD
  • Debut album.
Live At Harry's Bar
  • Release date: August 17, 1999[13]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD
Bad Man
  • Release date: August 17, 2002[14]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD
Ain't it Great To Be... aLIVE At Harry's II
  • Release date: August 17, 2002[15]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD
Someday
  • Release date: June 13, 2007[16]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD
Under the Influence of Outlaws & Mama
  • Release date: August 17, 2007[17]
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD, Digital
  • Reissued on August 17, 2008 with a new final track that replaced the one from the original release.[18] The 2008 version is available digitally.
The Last Honky Tonk
  • Release date: June 7, 2010[19] [20]
  • Label: Diesel LLC
  • Format: CD, Digital
  • The band's final album before Wayne Mills' death, and the only release that is available via mainstream digital retailers.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jerald Wayne Mills buried today. The Washington Times Communities. December 10, 2013.
  2. News: Spike TV Apologizes for Airing 'Bar Rescue' Featuring Location of Wayne Mills Shooting. The Hollywood Reporter. November 27, 2013. Ashley. Lee. November 25, 2013.
  3. Web site: Wayne Mills Band. Great American Country. December 10, 2013.
  4. Web site: Wayne Mills: Country Singer Shot Dead. Sky News. November 27, 2013.
  5. News: Country singer shot dead in Nashville bar after owner catches him smoking. New York Daily News. November 27, 2013.
  6. Web site: Hudak . Joseph . 2015-03-09 . Bar Owner Found Guilty in Country Singer's Murder . 2024-05-24 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  7. Web site: Jury finds bar owner guilty of second degree murder in Wayne Mills' death. WKRN.com.
  8. Web site: Man Sentenced for Murder of Singer Wayne Mills. Billy. Dukes. Taste of Country. April 28, 2015 .
  9. News: Friends Ride to Remember Wayne Mills . Christy . Perry . August 19, 2019 . The Cullman Tribune . September 15, 2022.
  10. Web site: Obituaries. December 11, 2013 . The Arab Tribune. December 17, 2013.
  11. Web site: New song honors murdered Alabama country singer Wayne Mills . al.com . March 9, 2018 . March 9, 2018.
  12. Web site: The Wayne Mills Band Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 1999-06-13 . 2017-01-10.
  13. Web site: LIVE at Harry's Bar Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 1999-08-17 . 2017-01-10.
  14. Web site: Bad Man Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2002-08-17 . 2017-01-10.
  15. Web site: Ain't it great to be… aLIVE At Harry's II Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2002-08-17 . 2017-01-10.
  16. Web site: Someday Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2007-06-13 . 2017-01-10.
  17. Web site: Under The Influence of Outlaws & Mama Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2007-08-17 . 2017-01-10.
  18. Web site: Under The Influence of Outlaws & Mama Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2008-08-17 . 2017-01-10.
  19. Web site: Last Honky Tonk Wayne Mills Band . Waynemillsband.com . 2017-01-10.
  20. Web site: The Last Honky Tonk: Wayne Mills Band: MP3 Downloads . Amazon.com . 2010-06-07 . 2017-01-10.
  21. Web site: The Last Honky Tonk by Wayne Mills Band on iTunes . Itunes.apple.com . 2010-06-07 . 2017-01-10.

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