Jay DeMarcus is opening up about his mother Caron’s battle with dementia. The singer-songwriter shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, celebrating her 74th birthday, while also sharing her personal health struggles.

“My precious Momma is 74 today,” DeMarcus writes. “This picture is one of the last times she was in Nashville, her eyes were still bright, she could travel alone, hold conversations… and I took it all for granted. The emptiness I see now is gut wrenching… she still musters an ‘I love you’ or an ‘I miss you’ and it still means as much as it ever has but boy do I ‘miss’ her’ …

“For any of you dealing with loved ones that have dementia, you’ll know exactly what I mean,” he continues. “I celebrate her today, even if she can’t – and I thank GOD every day that he hand picked this amazingly strong, rock of a woman to be my Mother. She has been one of my life’s greatest blessings… Her example of what a praying, God-fearing woman should be, has absolutely saved my life sometimes. I am certain of it.”

 

DeMarcus pursued music as a career, including as one-third of Rascal Flatts, in large part due to his mother’s musical influence. Both his mother and his late father, Wayne, who passed away in 2020, were musically talented. His mother was offered a record deal, but turned it down in favor of her family.

“Maybe there was a piece –– subconsciously in me –– that kind of wanted to be able to at least have some success for both of them] so that maybe they could live a little bit of their dream through their son,” DeMarcus previously told All Access. “My dad wanted it really, really badly too, and I think that was one of the reasons why he probably wasn’t as supportive to my mom when she was able to pursue it first.

“Both of them [were] very, very accomplished, very gifted musicians, and [my mom] will tell you now that she has no regrets, because she wouldn’t have had my sister and I,” he continued. “But I don’t know. There may be a piece of her in there that wonders, ‘What if?’ all the time. I’m glad that I’ve at least been able to let her live through our success a little bit.”

DeMarcus also says it is the prayers of his mother which sustained him among the highs and lows of his life, especially in the early years of his career.

“My beliefs and my faith are part of who I am, and I’m so grateful that I had the foundation laid early on,” DeMarcus said. “My Mom took me to church from my earliest memories, so I’m grateful to have had that foundation laid early, and it’s just part of who I am. I’m not a perfect human being by any stretch of the imagination, but there is always this little voice inside of me that keeps me where I know I need to be.

“I’ve been really, really fortunate to have a mother that has spent many, many long hours on her knees praying for me, and I guarantee you — I would almost bet everything I have — that that has saved me more often than not,” he continued. “So, it sustains me. My faith and my beliefs sustains me through all of the craziness that this life brings.”

DeMarcus is still working on his own musical projects, including his Red Street Records. Last summer, he said a Rascal Flatts reunion was possible, but not likely. Find all of DeMarcus’ projects at JayDeMarcus.com.