Zac Brown Band is a country group based out of Atlanta, Georgia. The band is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Zac Brown, singer and fiddler Jimmy DeMartini, keyboard and guistarist Clay Cook, bass guitar John Hopkins, drums Chris Friars, and keyboard and guitarist Coy Bowles. The band was started in 2002, initially only consisting of Zac, a bassist, and a drummer, neither of whom are still with the band. While 2002 was there first year of touring Zac Brown Band really picked up in 2004. Zac and his father had started a music club southern style restaurant that was purchased from them in 2004. With the money the got from that Zac bought a tour bus and really take the band seriously. The band was formed over the next through years, through people he had played with before, old classmates, and friends of friends. Coy Bowles for example was a student the same time as Zac at the University of West Georgia. One night at a bar Zac was playing at Coy was in attendances, Coy was stunned by Zac voice. Without using a mic he explained how his voice was rich and full even from the back of a crowded bar. Coy moved on to start his own band before reconnecting with Zac a couple years later.
While 2004 was there real break out year, arguably his most famous song Chicken Fried, was recorded in 2003 on his first album Home Grown. Home Grown was also the name of the record label he began, until it had to be changed to Southern Ground do to copyright infringement. His record Label also host a music festival called the Southern Ground Music and Food Festival that he hosts in Nashville Tennessee every year. Home Grown was in reference to marijuana, which he is fairly open about smoking. This can be seen in multiple songs of his, including Toes, in which he sings "Gonna lay in the hot sun and roll a big fat one, and grab my guitar and play." This song is about a time in Mexico, and how happy he was there leaving. Finally at the end of the song he changes the chorus from talking about leaving Georgia for good, to leaving Mexico to return to his true home. Zac Brown Band also makes a point to have very well done and creative music videos to accompany his songs. Toes has a great music video depicting a mans journey in Mexico and his eventual return to his home and the people he loves in Georgia.
The band has had eight songs at number one on bilboards top 100, Chicken Fries, Toes, Highway 20 Ride, Cold Weather, Free, As She's Walking Away, Knee Deep (Ft. Jimmy Buffet), and Keep Me in Mind. All of which have great music videos I've linked to. Zac has a great way of turning his songs into mini three or four minute movies that really capture your attention. He sings about parties, beer, trucks, and beaches all the way through to love and serious emotional songs. Its really interesting to not only see how wide of a variety of songs he has but how he makes these great music videos for each.
Zac Brow Band is still very active he has 16 shows between now and December. He does a lot of shows at Universities in the south as well as the north east. I saw him two years ago, at Jones Beach in Ny, and he put on a great show. He is very energetic and so is the rest of the band. They are all very into it and you can tell they really love what they are doing.
Bibliography
http://www.zacbrownband.com/welcome.html
http://www.youtube.com/
www.cmt.com/artists/az/brown_zac__band/bio.jhtml
I think you did a very good job with this post. You hit all of the key points. You talked about his life before he started his band and how he slowly developed it. You talked about his first album which brought him into the spotlight today from the single chicken fried. You also discussed his song topics that he repeats on every album. There are two things that I think you could improve on. The first would be to talk about his most recent album because it has shifted from a pure country sound to adding RnB, Regge and Rock. The second thing I would add to was his tours which are a large trade marks of his. With that you can talk about his covers, attendance and his joint concert series he did with Kenny Chesney.
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