Is the American Dream attainable if you’re from a small country town? The immediate answer seems to be no, and yet, Kountry Wayne—comedian, author and entrepreneur—did not grow up in a place where dreams come true. Instead, he was raised in Millen, Georgia. It’s a town where poverty, limited resources and the “country boy” stigma can make or break you.
But on the road to success, being from the country was just one of many obstacles. At age 11, Kountry Wayne (then Wayne Colley) lost his mother. Several years later, as a high school graduate and young father, his uncle “hired him as a professional drug dealer,” according to one of his stand-up performances. That led to frequent run-ins with the police, and eventually a court hearing that could have sent him to jail for a long time.
But Kountry Wayne always had a lifeline. He used his comedic gift to charm a straight-faced judge into letting him go so he could take care of his family. He also left the street life behind, opting to throw parties and to host at his own club. Eventually, Kountry Wayne launched himself out of Millen to start a comedy career fueled by Southern wit and viral sketches.
