Jay DeMarcus‘ first post-Rascal Flatts solo song is for his late father. “Music Man” arrived early Friday morning (Jan. 29).
Written and produced by DeMarcus, “Music Man” lovingly remembers the singer’s dad’s own musical past, and his influence on his son’s chosen career path: “Yeah, music is the bond that keeps us close / But hearing your sweet tenor voice is what I love the most … Your blood and bones have made me who I am / Music man,” DeMarcus sings.
“This one’s for you, Dad,” DeMarcus tweeted on Monday (Jan. 25) when announcing the song, a tender ballad with a soft rock vibe.
Stanley Wayne “Wayno” DeMarcus died on Oct. 29. His famous son shares his name, though he’s always gone as Jay.
Indeed, the elder DeMarcus was integral in his son’s beginnings in music: ”I could never explain in just a few words how important the musical bond was that we shared — it meant everything to me,” Jay DeMarcus wrote at the time of his father’s death. ”I have a lifetime of memories that will now be my comfort, as I face this life now without him.”
Rascal Flatts retired at the end of 2020, after releasing both a new EP and a greatest hits project throughout the year. They’d planned a farewell tour, but had to cancel it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DeMarcus and his family are the subjects of a reality TV show on Netflix, DeMarcus Family Rules. He also owns Red Street Records, a Christian-focused label founded in 2018.
