I come from a musical family, so writing a book that involved music—specifically, country music—seemed logical, as well as intriguing. My grandfather, my uncle, and my mother all played a mean fiddle and routinely performed at barn dances on Sand Mountain, Alabama and, later, in central Florida. My sister is a church organist and piano teacher. My cousins Mel, Pam, Sonny, and Carrie Tillis are all professional singers and songwriters. My brother was a booking agent in Nashville. The latter is what led me to the heart of that city’s primary industry.
At sixteen, thanks to a supportive hometown newspaper, I had already earned a number of publishing credits. Intrigued by my brother’s daily interactions with some of country music’s biggest names, I approached The Tampa Tribune (the daily paper that served my hometown of Wauchula, Florida) about doing a series of interviews with said celebrities. To my absolute astonishment and delight, they said yes. Off I went, notebook and tape recorder in hand, to spend the summer living with my brother and his family and going to work with him every weekday on Music Row. At lunch in Morrison’s Cafeteria that first week, as I stared, starstruck, at famous faces scattered throughout the room, Roger offered a bit of brotherly advice: “Just remember: they put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you.”
Thus chastened, I began—pragmatically—reaching out to managers and secretaries to set up
interviews. Amazingly, no one seemed deterred by my age and, during the next two months, I
had the pleasure of talking with nearly a dozen of Nashville’s biggest names, was invited to sit in on several studio recording sessions, spent a lot of time backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and had the chance to see what life on the road was like from the inside of several tour buses. Connections I made that summer led to additional interviews (which the Tribune also published) once I got back home and, the following summer, when my cousin Mel filmed a television series near Wauchula, I scored my biggest thrill: an interview with Kenny Rogers.
All those experiences and memories came into play when I started writing Hayley and the Hot
Flashes. Being famous is fun, of course, but it comes with a lot of baggage. Holding onto friendships with those who knew you “before” becomes vital, and being able to keep some semblance of normalcy in your life goes a long way to keeping you sane. During my college years, having seen what the music world was like, I gave serious thought to pursuing a career in Nashville. I didn’t have the talent to be a star, but I thought being a studio singer sounded exciting. Ultimately, though, my love of words won out. I wish the Hayleys and the Hot Flashes
of the world a wonderful life, but I’m glad I chose a pen instead of a microphone to make my mark.
To learn more about Jayne or her book, Hayley and the Hot Flashes, click here.
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