Zac Brown Band : Zac Of All Trades

Simultaneously reinventing his sound and going back to his roots with two new and distinct projects, Zac Brown has got a lot to cover in our latest interview. Maverick caught up with the artist, businessman, and dad-of-five to discuss Zac Brown Band’s latest album, his new direction with Sir Rosevelt, and what being an artist means to him.

- Danielle Smith

It’s been a pretty busy year for Zac Brown, fronting two bands, writing and recording a new album, and, of course, headlining C2C, among many other projects and various tour dates. UK fans of the Zac Brown Band got a treat at the Country to Country Festival this year with a headline performance from the band, playing their classic hits, culminating in an encore of Chicken Fried, as well as some of their JEKYLL AND HYDE big arena songs, and some high-voltage covers in the rootsy-rock way that only Zac Brown Band can deliver.

On the back of such a thrilling high, many fans headed down to Zac’s next headline project with an inaugural performance from Sir Rosevelt at London’s Scala just two days later. But, aside from the renowned frontman, the sound andstyle of Zac’s new project was a far departure from the country-rock anthems Zac’s fans are used to.

Perhaps we shouldn’t have been too surprised, seeing as the Zac Brown Band’s recent album, JEKYLL AND HYDE, hinted at a desire not to be tied down to one genre. Sir Rosevelt, however, whilst full of high-energy performances and particularly catchy hooks, painted Zac Brown in a different light to what his country fans are used to. That’s not to say they were not fans of this new direction, but it may take some getting used to.

And just as we think we’re getting one thing from Zac, he shifts gears again in the form of a new record from Zac Brown Band. The aptly titled WELCOME HOME has been teasing us for a while now, promising a return to the band’s roots and full country sound. Die hard fans of the band’s early days and albums, such as THE FOUNDATION and UNCAGED, will recognise the return to this instrument lead country style.