# Jennifer Wayne
**Jennifer Wayne** is an American country music singer and songwriter, a founding member of the Nashville-based all-female country trio [Runaway June](https://www.edgepedia.org/runaway-june), in which she sings and plays rhythm guitar[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about). She is the granddaughter of the film icon [John Wayne](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-wayne)[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/), and her songwriting credits include the trio's GOLD-certified Top 5 country radio hit "Buy My Own Drinks" and [Keith Urban](https://www.edgepedia.org/keith-urban)'s "Wild Hearts"[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about) • [2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). Before her music career she was a competitive tennis player and a contestant on the reality series *The Amazing Race*[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Founding member of Runaway June (vocals, rhythm guitar)[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about) |
| Family | Granddaughter of film icon John Wayne[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) |
| Signature songs | Co-wrote "Lipstick," "Wild West," and GOLD-certified "Buy My Own Drinks" for Runaway June[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) |
| Outside cuts | Songs for Marie Osmond, Eric Paslay, RaeLynn, Brittney Spencer, and The Shires[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) |
| "Wild Hearts" | Co-written for Keith Urban; No. 2 on U.S. country radio airplay, No. 1 on Australia's Country Hot 50 and Canada Country; honored at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) |
| Television | *The Amazing Race* (4th place, then 2nd on the All-Star season by 4 seconds with Caroline Cutbirth)[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467) |
| Publishing | Signed a worldwide publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing on November 15, 2022[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) |
## Early life and tennis
Wayne grew up in California and played tennis through college; her father was a tennis pro[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467). After beginning her musical career alongside a boyfriend, she accumulated savings and, with assistance from her aunt Marisa, relocated to Nashville.[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467) In an interview with John Wayne Enterprises, she described setting out from California for Nashville to pursue music[4](https://www.johnwayne.com/journal/profiles/runaway-june-true-modern-grit/).
## Stealing Angels and The Amazing Race
Wayne found that her strengths lay in songwriting, which led her to her first band, Stealing Angels[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467). After the band lost its record deal, she and her bandmate Caroline Cutbirth were invited onto CBS's Emmy Award-winning competition series *The Amazing Race*[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467) • [2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). They finished 4th in their first season and returned for the All-Star season, where they placed 2nd, missing first by 4 seconds[3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467).
## Runaway June
Wayne co-founded Runaway June in 2015[5](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/02/83/08/14762/10-26-2023.pdf). The group formed through songwriting in Nashville, where Wayne met Naomi Cooke; the two began writing together and Hannah Mulholland soon joined them[4](https://www.johnwayne.com/journal/profiles/runaway-june-true-modern-grit/). The trio's debut single was "Lipstick" in 2016, and it became the first female trio to score two [Top 40](https://www.edgepedia.org/top-40) hits in over a decade[4](https://www.johnwayne.com/journal/profiles/runaway-june-true-modern-grit/).
The group's breakthrough was "Buy My Own Drinks," a GOLD-certified single that reached the Top 5 on country radio[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about). Runaway June earned nominations from the [Academy of Country Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-of-country-music-awards) and the [CMT Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/cmt-music-awards), and its debut album *Blue Roses* (2019) appeared on Rolling Stone's and Paste Magazine's best-albums-of-the-year lists[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about) • [6](https://www.runawayjune.com/news/12). The trio has toured with [Carrie Underwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrie-underwood), Luke Bryan, Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, and Garth Brooks[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about) • [2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) • [6](https://www.runawayjune.com/news/12).
The lineup changed in the early 2020s. Naomi Cooke left in early 2022 to pursue a solo career, and Stevie Woodward became the group's lead singer in April 2022; Natalie Stovall had joined in 2020 after Mulholland's departure[7](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/runaway-june-mn0003520376). In 2023 the group left Wheelhouse Records for Quartz Hill Records[7](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/runaway-june-mn0003520376). Wayne remains a member of the current trio of Wayne, Stovall, and Woodward[1](https://www.runawayjune.com/about).
## Songwriting
Wayne's writing extends beyond her own group. She has penned songs for [Marie Osmond](https://www.edgepedia.org/marie-osmond), Eric Paslay, RaeLynn, Brittney Spencer, and The Shires[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). Her co-write with Keith Urban, "Wild Hearts," reached No. 2 on U.S. country radio airplay and No. 1 on Australia's Country Hot 50 and Canada Country, and she was honored at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards for it shortly before her Concord signing[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). On November 15, 2022, Concord Music Publishing announced a worldwide publishing deal covering her future works[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/).
## Other work and personal life
Wayne is based in Nashville[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). Her on-screen appearances include *The Amazing Race*, CMT's *I Love Kellie Pickler*, and the 2014 feature film *Like a Country Song*, in which she played Amy under the name Jennifer Kuhle[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5506741/). She was announced as co-host, with Brad Rempel, of The Design Network's house-flipping series *Flip U*, which premiered in 2023, and she is a co-owner of American Paint Hat, a company specializing in custom-designed cowboy hats[2](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/). She has been married to Austin Moody since January 9, 2021, and they have one child[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5506741/).
Through the group, she has supported the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which her grandfather founded; she has said his own long fight with cancer motivated him to start it[4](https://www.johnwayne.com/journal/profiles/runaway-june-true-modern-grit/).
## References
1. [Runaway June | About](https://www.runawayjune.com/about)
2. [Concord Music Publishing Signs Artist and Songwriter Jennifer Wayne of Runaway June, November 15, 2022](https://concord.com/news/concord-music-publishing-signs-artist-and-songwriter-jennifer-wayne-of-runaway-june/)
3. [Episode 18 - Jennifer Wayne, John Wayne Gritcast, Apple Podcasts, February 3, 2022](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-18-jennifer-wayne/id1587021668?i=1000549987467)
4. [Runaway June: True, Modern Grit, John Wayne Enterprises](https://www.johnwayne.com/journal/profiles/runaway-june-true-modern-grit/)
5. [Runaway June, University of Florida Digital Collections newspaper archive, October 26, 2023](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/02/83/08/14762/10-26-2023.pdf)
6. [Runaway June | News](https://www.runawayjune.com/news/12)
7. [Runaway June Biography, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/runaway-june-mn0003520376)
8. [Jennifer Wayne, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5506741/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Country, gospel, and western singers › Country pop and crossover singers › 2000s and 2010s crossover singers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license