Reading time: 7 -- 12 minutes

I was riding home with my mother from doing some errands when the local country station played I song I’d not heard before. Not surprising as the only country music I hear is older stuff I know, what my fellow High Volume Radio DJ’s play or what I might catch the few times a week when I go out with my mother.

This song caught my attention with the lyrics which is usually what makes a song good to me. Good vocals and great music can be a very good thing but when the lyrics do nothing for me, the rest means nothing.  Of course, when the song is over the station didn’t say who sung it! I wasn’t sure of the song title either,but with a couple of quick Google searches I found the song was called Chicken Fried and sung by the Zac Brown Band. This song is from there third CD, Titled The Foundation, which was released on September 2nd of this year.

A little more searching and I found the official web site for the band and there YouTube information as well. This band is on an independent label called Home Grown Music. Here is a bit of information about them, excerpted from the YouTube bio:

“Playing upwards of 200 dates a year, more than 2,500 shows in their career and selling more than 20,000 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.

“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.

…

The Foundation is the band’s third album, and one could hardly hope for a better calling card for new fans. Brown’s love for musical diversity is apparent from the first single and which is already showing early promise at radio, “Chicken Fried,” an utterly authentic take on his Georgia-bred existence during which audiences routinely are pressed into service to sing the choruses; “Toes,” which calls Jimmy Buffett to mind in its ode to beach life; and “Free,” which has turned into an audience anthem during recent tour stops.

And music only scratches the surface of what Zac Brown is all about. The Dahlonega, GA.-raised husband and father is a chef and former restaurant owner renowned for his homemade special sauces and savory Southern cooking.Additionally, he’s developing a charitable foundation to run a children’s camp (lending even more resonance to the album’s title). Despite all the irons in the fire, Brown nonetheless calls his foundation and camp plans his “life’s work.” “Having the camp and giving back is important for me,” he says. “I’m very blessed to have what I have, and I know a lot of that’s on credit for what I do down the road. It’s very important for me to keep that in mind. I want to leave something behind that does some good after I’m gone.” “

The band’s web site has a lot of information and a blog as well. It also allows one to listen the songs from the new album as well as selected tracks from previous releases. I just had to hear the rest and was happy to find I liked them all to varying degrees. They have a sound that does range from classic country to Jimmy Buffett-esque. In my opinion, this act has the chance to go a long way in today’s country music world. I will definitely be getting this CD to add to my collection.

Here is the current YouTube Video for the song Chicken Fried. You can also see  video at CMT.com that is not from a live show.

As it was the lyrics that caught me, I am going to post them as well.

You know I like my chicken fried
Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I was raised up beneath the shade of a Georgia pine
And that`that’s home you know
Sweet tea pecan pie and homemade wine
Where the peaches grow
And my house it`it’s not much to talk about
But it`it’s filled with love that’s grown in southern ground
And a little bit of chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I’ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman’s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother`mother’s love

Well its funny how it’s the little things in life that mean the most
Not where you live or the car you drive or the price tag on your clothes
There’s no dollar sign on a piece of mind this I`I’ve come to know
So if you agree have a drink with me
Raise you glasses for a toast
To a little bit of chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I’ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman’s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother’s love

I thank god for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly, let it ring.
Salute the ones who died
The ones that give their lives so we don’t have to sacrifice
All the things we love
Like our chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I’ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman’s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother’s love

They have quite a few sites, as all smart up-and-coming artists do. I will include the links below. Hope you will give these guys a listen, and enjoy there tunes as much as I am.

Band Links:

Official Web site

Zac Brown Band on Face Book

Zac Brown Band On MySpace

Zac Brown Band on YouTube

Zac Brown Band at ReverbNation

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