Friday Cheers: Zac Brown Band May 22, 2009

Playing upwards of 200 dates a year, with more than 3,000 shows in their career and selling more than 30,000 CDs independently, Zac Brown Band has only begun its ascent. The band’s aggressive touring has helped it develop a fanatical grassroots following by winning over believers one person at a time. Driven by awe-inspiring musicianship, skillful songwriting and a dynamic live show that inspires word-of-mouth buzz, Zac Brown Band is already embraced by audiences who sing along with every word.

The Foundation, released in November 2008 on Atlantic Records, debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and No. 3 on the Top Country Albums Chart. The first single “Chicken Fried” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Chart and maintained that position for two weeks and also debuted as the second most downloaded country single on iTunes.

“It’s kind of crazy how we can go to a place where no one’s heard of us before and by the time we leave people are singing the songs,” bandleader Zac Brown says. “We’ve got a great following.”
It’s not an easily pigeonholed crowd either; loyal country music fans, jam lovers and seemingly everyone in between are enjoying the shows. The Zac Brown Band has already landed support slots with artists such as Sugarland, ZZ Top, Travis Tritt, Etta James, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Willie Nelson and BB King.

Members of the band include bassist John Hopkins, fiddler Jimmy De Martini and more recent additions of guitarist/organist Coy Bowles and drummer Chris Fryar. In January 2009 multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Clay Cook joined the band; perhaps best known for his co-writes with Grammy-winner John Mayer, Cook rounds out the ZBB sound on guitar, vocals, organ, mandolin and pedal steel.

Official Website: http://www.venturerichmond.com/events/vrevents.html#may22