Wayne Mills
Jerald Wayne Mills (born c. 1969 in Arab; died November 23, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee) was a country music singer and bandleader.
Mills was the son of Jack Mills of Arab. He played baseball at Wallace State Junior College in Selma and was a walk-on for the 1991 Alabama Crimson Tide football team under Gene Stallings while completing his bachelor's degree in education. After graduating he turned his focus to music, founding the Wayne Mills Band which toured the college circuit and played weekly at Harry's Bar in Tuscaloosa.
Mill's 2007 album "Under the Influence of Outlaws and Mama" landed seven singles to the European Country Music Association's Top 20, including "Alabama Blues" which reached No. 1 in Belgium.
In 2010 Mills was charged with driving under the influence, aggravated assault, and leaving the scene of an accident when his car grazed a police officer who was carrying out a traffic stop on the shoulder of I-65.
Mills' band was performing at the Pit and Barrel on 2nd Avenue in Nashville on the evening of November 22. In the early morning hours, an altercation between Mills and bar owner Chris Ferrell broke out, resulting in Mills' death by a gunshot to the head. Ferrell claimed self-defense, but was indicted for second-degree murder by a grand jury. An autopsy determined that Mills was shot in the back of the head.
Mills was survived by his wife, Carol; and son, Jack.
References
- Taylor, Stephanie (November 23, 2013) "Wayne Mills, singer with Tuscaloosa ties, dies after Nashville altercation." Tuscaloosa News
- Tamburin, Adam (December 6, 2013) "Bar owner charged in shooting death of Wayne Mills." The Tennessean