What These Guys Are About
For Zack Brown, music has always been a huge part of his life, listening to music while chilling out in his room, and eventually he starts a band in college. Unfortunately they didn’t get very far and eventually they disband. Next move for him is opening a restaurant which paid the bills but wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Quite a conundrum for him to be in such a state. Unfortunately, 9/11 happens in 2001. It’s this watershed moment for him where he decides that life is too short to do something he doesn’t enjoy. So, he decides to take a giant leap and follow his musical path. Music was where his heart was so, in 2002 he starts making things happen by forming “the Zac Brown Band” with bassist John Hopkins and fiddler Jimmy De Martini.
Not only do they start a band but also, their own label, a year later called “Home Grown.” If you’re going to be a band then you’re going to need a van or a tour bus! They buy a tour bus and name it Oprah. They world is their oyster! Since they had all the proper necessities to travel pretty much wherever they wanted to, this became a full time job of hitting the road, sleeping in cheap hotels or on the bus, while playing at various venues and festivals along the way.
They also release their first indie album called “Far From Einstyne.” As well as, adding some more musicians into the mix such as Coy Bowles (guitar, keyboards), Chris Fryar (drums), Clay Cook (guitar, keyboards, mandolin, steel guitar, vocals), Along with Matt Mangano (bass guitar), and Daniel de los Reyes (percussion). They venture out not only to make a name for themselves with their over the top live shows! But they also manage to acquire a dedicated fan following the way that has kept them on the road for a quite a while. While doing most of it by themselves. Kudos to them!
Not Sticking to Just One Genre
This is also a band that doesn’t stick to one specific genre or style of music. In fact, you’re likely to hear them cover everything from Metallica, Allman Brothers, The Beatles, Van Halen to the Beastie Boys and many more artists when playing live. While they create their own style of music which covers a variety of genres, they also tip their hat to other artists and bands that inspire, create, and take music to the next level.
Not only for the fans but for themselves. You can tell that these guys are a bunch of music geeks just like the rest of us! Whether it’s hanging out with friends, at home, traveling or a back yard BBQ. Music is essential for all of us to keep our sanity in this weird chaotic world.
The Release of “The Owl” – An Interesting Direction for the Band
The band released their sixth album “The Owl” on September 20, 2019. The album includes collaborations with Skrillex, Max Martin, Ryan Tedder, Benny Blanco, Andrew Watt, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, and others. A digital single from the album, “Leaving Love Behind” is released on July 26, 2019. Brown admits some songs on the album are “personal” and “pretty heavy.” Concurrently, Brown also releases a solo album called “Controversy”, accompanied by a new single called “Swayze”. This album is intense and covers a lot of issues of being on the road as well as people using drugs, alcohol, and other things to fill the empty void that depression leaves you with.
That being said, a lot of songs are very therapeutic mostly about letting go of who you used to be and becoming someone better. Needless to say, that it was around the time that the pandemic was causing havoc and all of us were trying to find ways to cope with the chaos. It’s a very relatable album that hits home for many of us. Plus, I love the fact that they collaborated with such a wide variety of musicians and artists that you would normally not see doing country. The band named the album ‘The Owl” because owls symbolize wisdom and foreshadowing. Check out the Audio Video Below:
Camp Southern Ground
In 2011, with the belief his musical talent was given for the purpose of putting more good into the world, Zac Brown purchased 400 acres of pastoral land in Fayetteville, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Atlanta, and built “Camp Southern Ground”, a world-class facility dedicated to serving youth and veterans.
Camp Southern Ground stretches across more than 400 acres of land in Fayetteville, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Atlanta. During summer months, we host kids ages 7-17 for week-long, inclusive, residential camps, bringing together typically developing children, children with neurodevelopmental differences, underserved kids, and kids from military families.
The rest of the year is dedicated to supporting post-9/11 veterans with two programs. Warrior Week, Camp Southern Ground’s signature workforce and wellness transition program, helps veterans in the transition to civilian life after military service. Warrior PATHH (Progressive Alternative Training for Helping Heroes) aims to facilitate post-traumatic growth among combat veterans struggling with PTSD and/or combat stress. Provided at no cost to veterans, we welcome Warriors from across the country.
Furthermore, be sure, to check out the other blog posts: https://jbonamassa.com/jb-blog/
Video Credits:
Zac Brown Band – Chicken Fried (Live from Southern Ground Nashville) – Zac Brown Band – Free/Into The Mystic (Recorded Live from Southern Ground HQ) – Tim Baeckelandt – Zac Brown Band – Live From The Artists Den – Toes – Zac Brown Band – Someone I Used To Know (AUDIO) | The Owl