Upon returning a rental suit, I discovered a Hall & Oates greatest hits CD in a bargain box sitting on a table outside a department store in the old Gaston Mall, in Gastonia NC. I purchased it for one dollar. My 81' Ford pickup truck didn't have an air conditioner or good tires, however the rickety old truck did have a cassette player. I used an adapter that looked like a cassette tape with wires connecting from it to a portable cd player that sat on the passenger side of the bench seat. I heard "Sara Smile" for the first time and immediately fell in love with it. I'd already been playing guitar several years but the chords to "Sara Smile" were unlike the average G,C & D chords I was familiar with. Therefore I could only sing "Sara Smile" without the crutch of an instrument, kinda like singing the National Anthem.

It was in the spring of 1996. I had a side job as a wedding singer and a full time job as a Corrections Officer. I was walking the midyard at the prison one night and a fellow officer by the name of Mr. Holloway overheard me singing "Sara Smile" and said "man you ought to record that song." I responded, "now how in the world am I gonna do that?" I was surprised to learn he even knew the song when I asked him. He laughed and said "boy, I've been singing 'Sara Smile' for many years." Officer Holloway was African American. He had a gospel singer's voice with more soul than six pair of shoes.

 On March. 23, 1998 I moved to Mt Juliet TN just outside of Nashville and began writing for Opryland Music Group. Mike Whelan signed  me to the publishing company, and is the person responsible for bringing me to Nashville. I lived in the basement of Lloyd and Deborah Kelso's house for two years. Once I settled in, it didn't take me long to realize that almost everyone on Music Row played an instrument and those who didn't paid someone to play for them. It was a struggle but I earned enough money digging fence post holes for Jerry Bradley at "Bradleys Barn" (a very famous recording studio) to pay rent and take guitar lessons. Jerry always paid me more than he owed me. Jerry's dad is Owen Bradley, who produced Patsy Cline and many other legends. I began taking guitar lessons from an amazing guitar instructor by the name of Ellen Britton ( www.ellenbritton.com ). Ellen told me to choose a song that I wanted to learn on guitar and bring it into our next guitar lesson. I brought in "Sara Smile."   I went straight home after that lesson and began practicing. I eventually moved from Mt. Juliet onto Music Row, into 806 18th Ave. South, apartment 109. I had developed a practicing routine in the basement of the Kelso's house and utilized it in my new apartment. I'd close the door to the small bathroom, turn out the lights, sit on the bath tub facing the wall and play guitar for hours. This technique taught me how to play guitar without staring at my left hand and to play with soul! There were great acoustics in the bathroom as well-- it's like singing in the shower. I'm sure my new neighbor Ryan, who lived upstairs, wanted to shoot through the floor. He was always studying and occasionally he'd stomp the floor when I'd sing too loud. Ryan is now a prosecuting attorney for the state of Arizona. He's also the one that gave me the blue bike I take on the road. He's one of my closest friends. It took me a while to learn how to sing "Sara Smile" and play it on the guitar at the same time. At first it was like speaking two languages simultaneously. I began performing "Sara Smile" around Nashville. I'd play it for janitors, bakers, the postman; it didn't matter. I'd just play for whoever would listen. On several occasions I was even told by a few music row executives not to ever play "Sara Smile" again because it would ruin my chances of having a career in the country music business.

On April 13, 2001 I walked into Scott Borchetta's office. He was the head of the promotion dept. for Dreamworks Records /Nashville. He was very nice and seemed like he was just one of the guys. Within minutes it was clear that he knew a lot about the music business and loved it. We chatted briefly and then he asked "play me something?" I took my Takamine guitar out of its case and played "Sara Smile." As soon as I finished, Scott look at me with that Italian smile and offered me a record deal. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes. The only thing that seemed missing was the swinging bright light that hung from the warehouse ceiling in the movie "Road to Perdition." I didn't even know what had just happened or how I even ended up in his office. It was all unplanned as far I knew.

Shortly afterwards I celebrated my record deal, alone, at a local Long Horn restaurant on Lyle Ave. right off of Music Row. I just wanted to go and think... As I was eating my sweet potato and drinking sweet tea, I looked up at the TV hanging above the bar and saw Kevin Millwood standing on a pitcher's mound, pitching for the Atlanta Braves. I thought about the times he and I use to sit outside in the parking lot of the Ingles grocery store in Bessemer City NC, waiting on our girlfriends to go on break. Bessemer City was a very small mill town. It had a caution light, a few farms and train tracks that ran smack dab through the middle of the entire city from one county line to the next. Kevin and I were in high school at the time and he was the baseball player who everyone knew would be "big" some day. One evening Kevin and I were sitting on the tailgate and he asked me what I wanted to be when I got outta school. I said "a country singer." Kevin said he wanted to be a pro baseball player. How ironic? Kevin currently pitches for the Texas Rangers.

It would be years though before I ever recorded "Sara Smile." After the success of my first CD (self titled Jimmy Wayne) with songs such as "Stay Gone" "I Love You This Much" and "Paper Angels," the Dreamworks Label sold to a bigger label. I spent the next year and a half waiting on something, just anything, to happen. I think I've seen continents moved faster. Eventually, I was let go from this record label and picked up within an hour by Scott Borchetta, who had already opened Big Machine Records. Scott had also signed a 14 year old girl to the same label. He was so excited about this young, talented girl. I remember one evening Scott called me and read the lyrics to a song that she'd just written about a boy and a song about Tim McGraw. Scott truly believed that she would become one of the biggest entertainers in the world. Taylor Swift proved him to be right.

I was finally back "home" and very glad to have Scott, along with a great team, on my side. I eventually made a lateral move to BMR's sister label, The Valory Music Company, which is also owned by Scott Borchetta. I spent the next three years creating my second CD, titled  "Do You Believe Me Now." It generated a 3 week #1 with the title track  and helped me land the opening slot on the American Saturday Night tour with Dierks Bentley and host Brad Paisley. It felt so good to be back on the radar. Scott came out to see one of the shows in Detroit MI. After the show he and I met in the dressing room with Mike Kraski to discuss the set. Scott said, "it was ok but something's  missing". (Crickets)........... (more crickets) Scott then said, "add Sara Smile to the set list." The meeting was over as fast as it started. A few days later Valory executive George Briner was at my show. I sang "Sara Smile." The entire crowd sang along and cheered like never before. George reported back to Scott immediately.   

I arrived into Nashville a few days later. I dropped into Scott's office to discuss what would be the fourth single off the current CD, "Do You Believe Me Now." Scott said, "what if we record 'Sara Smile' and release it?" That was the very last thing I expected to hear from him. I couldn't even think clearly! It was the same feeling I experienced when he first offered me a record deal. Two days later Scott called me and asked, "well, do you wanna record it or not?" Although I was saying yes, all I could think was "who is going to produce "Sara Smile?" I had this golden opportunity to finally record the song that's been my sword and my shield from the beginning of my career, but no producer. On Aug. 05, 2009 at 9:05 am CT Scott called me again. I was in the Nashville airport and he said, "Jimmy, what if we get Dann Huff to produce 'Sara Smile'?" It seriously felt like a million tons were lifted off of me instantly! Dann is a producer I'd been wanting to work with for many years. I'd met Dann at a Titans game on Sept. 02, 1999. He was just as nice to me then as he is now. On Aug. 16, 2009 Dann tracked "Sara Smile" at the Blackbird Studio in Berry Hill TN. I sang the vocals on Aug. 18, 2009. A few days later, Daryl Hall & John Oates sang the background vocals. Within a week "Sara Smile" was mastered for country radio!   

For the first time in my career I feel like I'm living my dream. Recording "Sara Smile" and hearing it on the radio after all these years has been one of the greatest accomplishments in my life! Please celebrate with me by getting your copy of my third CD, of course titled "Sara Smile," and set to be released on Nov. 23, 2009. 

It's your dream. Go get it.

On June 05, 2009 my Radio Band and I had the honor of joining Brad Paisley on his American Saturday Night tour - kicking the tour off in my hometown - Charlotte, NC at the Verizon Wireless Center. We, along with Dierks Bentley, toured the USA and Canada and unlike the small venues I was used to performing in, these arenas and amphitheaters held between 15,000 and 30,000 people. Our job was to open the show each night and get the crowd as pumped up as possible. However, that can sometimes be like trying to start a car in 10 degrees below zero weather. I had to come up with a strategy, and fast!

We began our 25 min set each night with "Cowboys & Engines," a song I like to refer to as "the can opener." It's a high octane, up-tempo song with big loud guitars, a screaming fiddle and a double bass kick drum. Its purpose is to "alert" everyone that the show has begun. We'd then go into "Stay Gone", a song from my first CD. I chose it because it was my first song on country radio,  the most played song of 2003, generated a half million sales in records and that meant people were familiar with it. Everyone sang along each night!  It was great to see that people still remember that song!

We then went into "Kerosene Kid," a rocking, up-tempo song with a ton of fuel (no pun intended). During the first half of this song I'd hold up handmade signs in front of the camera which then appeared on the big screen. They read "scream if you love beer," "if you love Dierks," or "if you're a country girl," etc. The last sign read "scream if you remotely know who the hell I am." The cheers drowned the music each time a sign was held up. I wanted to have a little fun and also get those who were still outside to think they were missing something big! Get on in here! It worked every show.

We'd then segue into "Trespassin'," another song from my first CD. This up-tempo locomotive kept the momentum moving forward. The Radio Band walked out to the edge of the right and left catwalks and jammed with the crowd. Towards the end of "Trespassin'," Jake walked out to the edge of the center catwalk and performed an unbelievable fiddle solo with the fiddle behind his head. He'd begin walking back toward center stage in perfect time. There he'd end "Trespassin" on a high note that sustained throughout the arena as the lights went down. Seconds later I would appear at the edge of the center catwalk with my acoustic guitar. The spotlight would be shinning down. This was a very pivotal moment of the show. Things could have easily taken a turn and to be honest, I was nervous most nights. All I had to do was get through "Sara Smile" and it was easy sailing from there on. (I'll never forget the night in Baltimore when John Oates walked out on stage and sang "Sara Smile" with me and the Radio Band. 15,000 people cheered. Cameras flashed. It was the highlight of the tour for me. You can watch some of this footage on youtube.com. After "Sara Smile," we'd coast into "Do You Believe Me Now," my first #1 record.  In fact. that one remained at the top of the charts for 3 weeks? Congrats to writers Dave Pahanish, Joe West and Tim Johnson.  What an incredible feeling.  The entire crowd sang along as I walked to each side of the stage and said my goodbyes. I could definitely feel the power of this song.  And then my portion of the show was done.  My nerves would began to settle down.  After my performance, most nights I'd towel off and run out to the sound board to watch Dierks and Brad.  Incredible.

On October 24, 2009 superstar Brad Paisley closed the 2009 American Saturday Night Tour in Uncasville CT at the Mohegan Sun Arena. That last night of the tour was really a bittersweet feeling for me. Touring with artists as talented as Brad and Dierks and all of the musicians in their great bands and getting to meet the huge teams of talented behind the scenes people who kept this show on the road was an amazing experience.

I'll never forget the day Jenny and Mike (my managers) called me and gave me the great news that Brad had invited me to go on tour with him. Every moment on that tour was a learning experience. I made some really great friends I know I can always call on. Brad's Dad was truly amazing. I miss that dude. Dierks is the coolest. The catering was off the hook! All I can say is "Thanks Brad for having me out there and if you need someone to crowd surf, just call me!"