Grunge and grief: Layne Staley's mom reflects on her son's legacy

His name is synonymous with Seattle's grunge scene. Layne Staley gained international fame as the lead singer of Alice in Chains, a band that crashed onto the music scene with their debut album "Facelift" in 1990.

Staley's legacy and voice are still fondly remembered 20 years since his passing. His mother, Nancy McCallum, has been highly involved in organizing annual tributes for her son. There are several upcoming events centered around his August birthday. Layne Staley would have been 55 on Aug. 22.

Born and raised in Washington state, Staley grew up in a musical family and showed signs of promising talent at a young age.

"Our family went to church every week, and Layne got exposure from music there," shares McCallum. "My parents also had beautiful singing voices, and Layne would visit with them, where the radio was always playing. One of the first songs he ever sang was 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,' and I remember him leaning over in his car seat and singing to me."

McCallum recalls more loving moments from her son's early years, "One of the sweetest memories I have is looking out the window and seeing him on his bike wearing his black cap and cape. It was his Zorro outfit. He was in his own world and super happy."

Recognizing his love for music at an early age, McCallum enrolled her son in a rhythm band for children in Bellevue. As Staley grew up, he took influences from various music genres, including 1970s rock and David Bowie.

"He also loved Van Halen, Metallica and Prince," McCallum shares. During his teen years, Staley attended Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood and started playing the drums in the early to mid-1980s.

While still in school, Staley joined local band Sleze and met guitarist Jerry Cantrell a few years later. Their friendship led to the formation of Alice in Chains, along with local musicians Sean Kinney and Mike Starr. During the early 1990s, Seattle became the hub of the rock music scene, labeled “Grunge” with many local bands finding mainstream success. Alice in Chains particularly became known for Staley’s powerful, raw, and unmatched vocal abilities, along with hit songs such as "Man in the Box," "Rooster," and "Would." The lyrical content of the band touched on many subjects, such as life’s struggles, depression, and broken relationships.

Of the countless songs Staley sang, there are a few that are extra special to McCallum, "I really love "Wake Up," his song with Mad Season, and "Queen of the Rodeo" off the 'Live' album with Alice in Chains. McCallum describes Staley’s album with "Mad Season" his 'swan song.'

"The album was his answer to his questions about the industry, and the album is beautiful," she shares.

If you happened to frequent Seattle in the 90s, you had a good chance of running into Staley on Queen Anne or Caffé Minnie’s, and he loved shopping at Fred Meyer.

Art was also a common outlet for the rocker. "He liked to experiment with stained glass kits, and sculpting clay," shares McCallum. "Other things he loved included coconut ice cream bars, home cooking, and leather jackets." His mom also recalls his love of technology, and how they took night classes together at RadioShack on Highway 99 in Lynnwood, one of many cherished memories.

Since his passing, McCallum has consistently organized tributes to her dear son. Events across Seattle are held each August in honor of his birthday to celebrate Staley's lasting impact on the music industry.

This year, the annual gathering at the Seattle Center International Fountain will take place Thursday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. McCallum and fans will be in attendance to show their love for Staley.

"This year, it's recommended to bring candles, letters, or anything that can go into a memorabilia file. Just show up with hugs,” she said.

Events will be held Friday and Saturday this week at Madame Lou’s and The Crocodile featuring tribute bands. In years past, McCallum has participated in singing lyrics alongside her son’s vocals to the song, "Wake Up," a must-see if time permits this year.

Proceeds from the events will go to "The Layne Staley Memorial Fund," created in Staley’s honor to help aid in recovery for those struggling with drug addiction. Therapeutic Health Services has partnered with the fund to provide treatment, education and hope for Seattle area musicians in need of addiction recovery. McCallum wishes to honor her son’s memory by helping others in need, which the fund has done for 20 years.

In 2020, Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture known as MoPOP honored Alice in Chains with a Founders Award.

"It was an unexpected honor, and a lovely surprise to continue to include Layne in the classic catalog. It made me feel very proud of him," said McCallum.

In reflecting on the past 20 years, she feels an array of emotions, "After Layne passed, I thought I would hear from fans for two years, and it’s now been 20 years. After a while and all that’s happened, you move on. I have not moved on from Layne’s passing, he will be with me forever."

Learn more about "The Layne Staley Memorial Fund"

Attend the Meet-and-Greet at Seattle Center International Fountain on Thursday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. (FREE)

Click here for tickets to the tribute shows:

• Madame Lou’s (Crocodile underground) on Friday, Aug. 19
• The Crocodile on Saturday, Aug. 20 (All ages)

London Bridge Studio Fan Experience

Special thanks to Karen Mason Blair Photography