FEATURE
EAGLES’ SONG The Wells Family Legacy
Jesse Wells (Class of 2007) lives a double life immersed in music. On one hand, Wells is the traditional music archivist, studio manager, and instructor at Morehead State’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music (KCTM). On the other hand, he’s a member of singer/songwriter Tyler Childers’ band, The Food Stamps, performing at world-famous venues like the Grand Ole Opry and Madison Square Garden. The band is about to embark on a European tour to promote its latest album, “Rustin’ in the Rain,” released in September 2023. Their previous album, “Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven,” won Album of the Year at the 2023 Americana Music Awards. They are also nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2024, including Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song, Best Country Album, Best Americana Performance and Best Music Video. Jesse comes from a long line of musicians; both of his parents, Jamie (Class of 1974, 1983) 36
MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY THE MAGAZINE
and Catherine Wells, are musicians, as are his sisters, Miranda and Carrie (Wells) Carter, his uncles, David and Robbie Wells, his aunt Beth Runyon and his maternal grandmother, Jane Alexander Smart. Jamie said Jesse first took an interest in music around the age of five when he started playing mandolin, and he took an interest in guitar in middle school. “I didn’t really teach Jesse much, to be honest with you. He was almost self-taught,” Jamie said. “But he was always going to gigs with me and used to do the sound system sometimes and sometimes played with us. He grew up immersed in it. We never had to tell him to practice, and he never had formal lessons.” The Wells family not only has a deep tradition of musicianship, it has deep roots at MSU. His parents, his wife Amanda Lynn (Layne) Wells (Class of 1999, 2005), his paternal grandmother, the late Betty Jean Wells (Class of 1960), and his maternal grandmother are
