ZAC BROWN BAND FACTS:
Members: Coy Bowles, Zac Brown, Clay Cook, Jimmy De Martini, Chris Fryar, John Driskell Hopkins
Genre: Country
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Albums: Far from Einstyne (2004), Home Grown (2005), The Foundation (2008), You Get What You Give (2010)
Awards: 1 CMA Award, 1 CMT Award, 1 Grammy, 1 Academy of Country Music Award
Hits: "Chicken Fried," "Whatever It Is," "Toes," "Highway 20 Ride," "Free," "As She's Walking Away"
Other: Likes to cover songs by their major musical influences in concert.
There have been few breakout acts over the last several years who have been more successful than the Zac Brown Band. The young country group has been together for eight years, but in the last two they have become one of the most popular acts of any genre, and thanks to a loyal following, likely will not be going anywhere anytime soon.
Thirty two-year-old Zac Brown formed the band while he was in college, but it was not until 2002 that he and the other five members began touring. With Jimmy De Martini playing fiddle, John Driskell Hopkins on bass guitar, Coy Bowles on keyboard and Chris Fryar on drums, the crew embarked on a heavy tour throughout that year.
In 2004, the Zac Brown Band released its first album, Far From Einstyne. The record failed to gain any significant traction, as it was recorded interdependently by Brown. Still, a year later in 2005 the band released its second album, Home Grown, which was followed up by a live album released in 2007.
The band got its break in 2008 after it was signed to Atlantic Records, and it released its first major-label studio album, The Foundation, later that year. The release featured the big hit "Chicken Fried," which the band had recorded five years earlier on their first album. When it came out on The Foundation, however, it enjoyed significant radio play and was one of the most popular songs of the year. The song reached number one on the country charts, making the Zac Brown Band the first country artist since 2006 to have a number one single with their debut track.
Their first single was followed up by a number of other successful tracks as well, including "Whatever It Is" and "Toes," which would become the band's second number one single off of The Foundation. "Free" and "Highway 20 Ride" would also reach the top of the charts. Bolstered by its extensive success, the Zac Brown Band won the 2009 Grammy award for Best New Artist.
On the heels of the success of The Foundation, the group released their second major-label studio album You Get What You Give in September 2010. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts, selling more than 150,000 albums its first week. The album was also a critical success, as many reviewers enjoyed it's soulful sound and honest lyrics.