The City of Kings Mountain, in partnership with the Tourism Development Authority and the Kings Mountain Little Theatre Board of Directors, have commissioned artist Scott Nurkin, founder of the North Carolina Musician Murals Project, to create a mural honoring hometown hero - author, singer, songwriter, musician - Jimmy Wayne as part of an art installment celebrating art and artists from North Carolina.
Jimmy, who was born in Kings Mountain (Cleveland County), is a former foster kid turned award-winning country recording artist and New York Times bestselling author, whose songs and story highlight his mission to raise awareness for children in foster care.
Scott Neisler, Mayor of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, says, "The City of Kings Mountain is proud to honor Jimmy Wayne with this special mural at the Joy Performance Center. Jimmy's story, from his birth here in Kings Mountain, to his path to country stardom is remarkable. He deserves to be recognized in his hometown."
Jimmy shares, "When Mayor Neisler called to share this news with me, I was deeply honored. I hope the mural is a reminder to anyone who sees it, 'no matter who you are, your dreams can come true - and it's okay to give God all the credit for your success."
"Jimmy is a shining example of the power of music; but more than that, he's never forgotten where he came from and is always giving back," says Angela Padgett, Special Events Coordinator for the City of Kings Mountain "It's part of why we're honored to have his profile grace the Joy Performance Center. As soon as you top the hill on your way into Kings Mountain, you'll see Scott Nurkin's rendering of Jimmy. We can't wait to see it completed."
Scott Nurkin is no stranger to creating murals to honor North Carolina musicians. In collaboration with Backdrop, a Raleigh-based consultancy, Nurkin has created nine murals from John Coltrane on the historic Opera House in Hamlet to Earl Scruggs on Newgrass Brewing Co. in Shelby. Jimmy's mural will be the 10th stop on the North Carolina Musician Murals Trail.
"When I first heard about Jimmy Wayne, I'll admit I was not very familiar with his work," says Nurkin. "After doing a little digging I found out that he is an incredibly accomplished singer-songwriter with several Top Ten hits. But what impressed me most was learning about his dedication to raising awareness for children in foster care. As a foster kid himself, Jimmy walked halfway across America (from Nashville to Phoenix) to raise awareness for kids aging out of the foster care system. He wrote a movie and a best-selling book dealing with the subject of children in foster care. This is a guy who deserves recognition not for just being an amazing musician but for also being an amazing human being and humanitarian. I'm honored to paint his picture."
Nurkin will begin work on the mural on Saturday, May 15th and, weather permitting hopes to have it completed by Friday, May 21st.
For more information on Scott Nurkin and his work, visit his website at
musicianmuralsproject.com.
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