A few months back on tour, we were passing through a rough-and-tumble town in Mississippi when I walked out of a gas station and locked eyes with an emaciated, abandoned dog. When I asked about him, they said the dog was homeless. It felt like he’d picked me. My first thought was, “this is a porch dog.” If Townes and Blaze were spinning tales on a porch, with coffee brewing and fiddles playing, Slim Jim Wayne was born to be part of that scene. He’s always had that spirit about him.
I named him Slim Jim Wayne because that dog loved Slim Jims Giving him one was the first moment I had with him, and we found him in Wayne County, Mississippi. On our drive back to Nashville, I flipped a lid because we noticed hundreds of the tiniest ticks I’d ever seen scattering all across the van floor. After an insane 3-hour van ride back and a weekend at Boone’s, we got him tick-free. My friend Katie took him on her farm and nursed him back to health—getting rid of worms and ear mites. He gained 15 lbs in size and in confidence over the last few months of fostering him.
Slim found a new home today, and it was sad to say goodbye. This dog was an angel on fours, and I didn’t realize the impact he had on my heart until now. I can’t keep him, but I wanted to share his story because he’s a little badass, and I love him.