Local musician who lost everything in house fire gets 'outpouring of love' from Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — John Scott was sleeping in his Millersville home after a late night gig on lower Broadway in Nashville. He was soon awakened by his dog, Frank, barking like crazy. The house was filled with smoke and fire.

“I screamed for her [his girlfriend Jana] to wake up, we gotta get out of here and I grabbed her by the hand. At that point, I couldn’t see the hand in front of my face,” said Scott.

John and his girlfriend Jana are alive because of their dog Frank. Unfortunately, Frank did not get out of the house—he died along with the instruments, and recording studio, and masters, and photos and cars. Everything except the two things in the trunk of his car.

“I did have what I use when I am playing downtown. I had my fiddle and my keyboard and they still work, with that, I have my hammer and I can still go out and make music,” said Scott.

While he didn’t have a pair of shoes, pants or wallet, he has continued to work. He’s discovered that even musicians who have been flatlined for a year have big, beating hearts.

“They are playing their sets and after they get through. They reach into their pocket and say ‘Here, I want you to take this,’ and it's just the love, the outpouring of love has just pulled us through,” said Scott.

Scott toured with Jamey Johnson for eight years, toured with Tanya Tucker, and has appeared on all kinds of records.

But it's his fellow professional sidemen who have come through big time. His buddy Leon Watson shared his home and shoes. Another musician gave him his AirBnb for a week.

And then the craziest thing really, musicians he doesn’t know, who are probably barely getting by, dig into their own tip jars.

“To dig in your pockets and give any amount of money that’s hard, these people are playing their sets, they are just good people, they are just back to work themselves, they are just back to work themselves.”

John Scott was so upset with how things were going, he thought about leaving Nashville and starting over somewhere else. But losing everything has revealed a surprising truth: Everything he cares about is right here in Nashville, and it's Nashville that cares about him.

“I’d actually considered leaving, but I believe now I want to stay because this is where I belong, the love people have shown me, this is the right place to be,” said Scott.

Country music artist Jamey Johnson has given Scott $5,000 cash and is going to replace ALL of his lost instruments. He’s also putting him up in a hotel.

If you would like to reach in your tip jar to help out, click here.

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