The Rarely Told True Story of Alice in Chains’ Leading Man: Layne Staley

Rhythm Bands and Name Changes

Layne Rutherford Staley was born in Kirkland, Washington, on August 22, 1967, to parents Phil and Nancy Staley. It was clear that the young Layne was going to have a life in music because, by the time he was three, he already joined a rhythm band in Bellevue.

Layne Staley of Alice in Chains.

Photo by Atashian / Mediapunch / Shutterstock

Layne was seven years old when his parents got divorced, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather, Jim Elmer. Layne took his stepfather’s last name when he was in high school, known for some time as Layne Elmer. Layne must have had a thing for names because he couldn’t stand when people called him by his middle name, Rutherford, and legally changed it to Thomas when he was a teenager (he was a fan of Mötley Crüe’s drummer Tommy Lee).