FLORENCE – When you think of all of the music legends in Muscle Shoals, you have to count in that number, Wayne Chaney. His music career began back in the 1960’s and has continued practically uninterrupted for over 50 years. Wayne is a musical virtuoso who plays just about every instrument you can think of. He is a legendary singer, has worked all over the world as stage manager for numerous music superstars and can organize and produce stage shows that kill. Chaney also has a lifetime body of work of giving and of service to those in need. He honors and celebrates members of the Armed Forces. and throughout the years has volunteered his great talents and unequaled skills to just about every charitable event that involves music.
Sunday night was Wayne’s turn to have his generosity returned. For the last several months, Chaney has been fighting some health problems, which fortunately are being relieved. But it has been a slow process. So, at the Moose Lodge, where Chaney regularly appears, a few hundred of his closest friends and a bunch of A-List bands threw a get-well-soon party for him. It was simply amazing to witness the outpouring of love and respect throughout the day and well into the night with music, food, handshakes and hugs from his admirers.
Chaney has touched to lives and careers of so many musicians. And a large number of them turned out to play one of the most impressive music shows to honor him. Among the groups on stage were, Joel Aldridge, Tavis Wammack & the Snakeman Band, Dennis Odem & the Cadillacs, Jeff Wright & Southern Breeze, Mike Mayhall & Tremayne, the McTazz Band, Max Russell & the Shakedown Kings and Billy Lawson & Wishbone. It was crazy great music!
The Quad Cities Daily, decades long friends of Wayne’s, was on hand to capture in EVENT PHOTOS some of the outpouring of love. We happily present them here. If you find yourself in one of these photos, download it to save. There’s never a charge for the personal use of our photos.
Photos by Steve Wiggins and Sheri Wiggins.
