Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus Mourns the Loss of His Father, ‘Wayno’

Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus is mourning the loss of his father, Stanley Wayne DeMarcus, who died on Thursday morning. DeMarcus shared the sad news on Instagram later that day, posting a slideshow of photos together including throwback snaps and more current memories, including a photo of DeMarcus, his two kids and his dad.

“I lost my musical hero and Father this morning,” his caption began. “Known as ‘Wayno’ to most, he impacted everyone around him, and he was bigger than life to me. I could never explain in just a few words how important the musical bond was that we shared-it meant everything to me.”

The musician shared that his father taught him how to play and “pushed me to be the best I could be.” “I could not be more grateful for the time spent with him on the stage, and off,” he wrote. “I have a lifetime of memories that will now be my comfort, as I face this life now without him. Rest In Peace my precious Dad, I was always proud to be called your son, and I will miss you forever. Enjoy Heaven, you’ve earned it…”

DeMarcus’ wife, Allison, also shared a post remembering her father-in-law. “We will always cherish the memories we have had with our fathers,” she wrote on Instagram. “Dads are a girl’s first love and a boy’s first hero. Jay’s daddy, Wayne-O, left an incredible mark on everyone he encountered. We are thankful for the outpouring of love from everyone during this time of loss for Jay and our entire family.”

DeMarcus, whose real name is Stanley Wayne DeMarcus Junior, was named after his father, though neither of his parents like the names Stanley or Wayne. “My parents hated the name Stanley and they both hated Wayne, but my dad wanted a namesake,” DeMarcus told Country Countdown USA‘s Lon Helton in 2012. “So my mom said, ‘I’m not gonna call him JR, I’m not gonna call him Junior, I’m not gonna call him Wayne,’ because my dad went by Wayne, so ‘We’re gonna call him Jay.’ So my name has been Jay my entire life, and you can imagine the nightmare in school, trying to get a driver’s license, because I was always called Jay.”