Mark Laws Was A Drummer For Little Jimmy Dickens, Alex Miller, And Others

American Idol alum Alex Miller is mourning the death of his longtime drummer, Mark Laws, who was killed in a shooting on Sunday (May 25).

62-year-old Laws made a name for himself as a well-respected drummer, band leader, and producer. Before working with Miller, Laws played drums for Little Jimmy Dickens, who passed away in 2015.

Laws also worked with notable acts such as Bill Carlisle, Larry Cordle, and Pam Perry. But for the past five years, he served as Miller’s drummer and band leader.

Miller competed on Season 19 of American Idol in 2021. The young country singer earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood and made it through the initial rounds. However, when the judges selected the Top 24, Miller did not advance.

Since his time on Idol, Miller, Laws, and his other bandmates have kept busy touring across the country. Sadly, Miller will no longer have Laws by his side onstage.

Mark Laws Killed In Shooting In Tennessee, Stepson Arrested

The Tennessean reports that Mark Laws was killed in a shooting in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, on Sunday (May 25). According to the homicide affidavit, Laws was shot twice following a verbal altercation with his 27-year-old stepson, Maxwell Alan Madon.

Authorities arrested Madon and charged him with criminal homicide. His booking occurred on May 27 and he had not yet posted bail as of May 28.

The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office released a brief statement about the shooting on their Facebook page. The statement reveals that Laws died at the scene

Alex Miller shared a post on social media mourning the loss of his beloved drummer. He paired his message with several photos of him and Laws over the years.

Miller opened his post by saying his “heart is truly broken” over Laws’ death. He continued:

“My grandad once told me that you’ll have lots of friends in your life, but finding a [true] friend is something that is rare and special. My grandad was a true friend, and so was Mark Laws. His loss to me is devastating. Please pray for his family for me.”

Miller’s followers shared their condolences in the comments, leaving messages such as:

 

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A post shared by Alex Miller (@amillermusic)