November 9, 2021 • 12 mins
Zac Brown is now admitting that his rocket ride to stardom resulted in major burn out. Talking with Lorianne and Charlie, Zac describes the many levels of his meltdown that not only led to his new album The Comeback, but more importantly led to his transformation from a scorched artist into a grateful, positive force in music and the world.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When I started wedding planning, I didn't have time or
money to waste. That's why I chose Joy. Joy is
you're all in one wedding planner and the only registry
with zero fees on cash gifts. Create a beautiful wedding
website backed by powerful planning tools, integrate your guest list,
send the perfect save the dates and invitations, track r
s vps, and of course, add gifts from any store
(00:22):
to your all in one registry. It was so customizable
and easy to use. I couldn't believe it was free.
Discover the smarter way to plan in your big day
at with joy dot com. That's with Joy dot com,
Happy Planning. There's a recipe for getting your car running
just right, and eBay motors dot com as all the
ingredients you need. They have over a hundred and twenty
two million car parts and accessories in stock, all at
(00:45):
the right prices. Now that's tasty. eBay motors dot Com,
let's ride. What's your style resolution this year? Resolving to
buy more sustainably expresses new conscious edit genes contain at
least recycled divers or cleaner die techniques compared to additional practices.
Stop now at Express dot com or in stores. Hey everybody,
(01:06):
Lorien and Charlie here, Welcome into Crook and Chase Nashville
Chats today with Zach Brown. Talk about a man who
has been through a metamorphosis. I can say it, but
I can't spell it. He has a new album called
The Comeback, and this is just about the truest album
title to represent what he has been through. Now, even
(01:29):
before COVID, I mean, Zach was going through it wasn't he, Charlie,
life was just throwing the curve balls. He went through
a divorce. His album The Owl. Remember The Owl was
really pushed the limits of what fans think of as country.
It did not get a lot of airplay. Um, let's
(01:49):
just put it in the most basic terms. The music
was tanking. Zach was excited because he was really being
creative as an artist, but it was not being accepted.
Then COVID hit on top of everything else, and Zach
cosh Charlie, I remember it just still it's like a
(02:09):
knife in my heart. He was on social media. Zach
was literally in tears having to let go most of
his band and crew. Yeah, a lot of guys had
to do that. During the situation. But you know, you
find yourself in situations like this, what do you do?
You can either try to get out of it or
just go down further. Well, Zack fortunately has picked himself up.
Uh he. His attitude basically turned to gratitude. It's like, hey,
(02:33):
I'm ready, I'm I'm okay. I got through this and
thus the name of the album is to come back Now.
You hear a lot of things in his voice. I
don't think we've ever said this on the podcast before.
In his voice, You're gonna hear a vibe, You're gonna
hear a I think an awakening. Uh yeah, he's a
new man, he's a better man. And of course we
started out talking about music, and you really were floored
(02:57):
by his music and his own brand of wine. I'm
feeling good today. You know why why? Last night I
uncorked some uncaged cab and put your new record on
and had a great night. Man, Zack. This is some
great music. It feel, you know. I know it's called
the comeback, but this feels like coming home to me?
(03:20):
Am I on target with that at A Yeah? I
just think, you know, I've been through a lot of
stuff and being on the other side of a lot
of things and being able to be home and be
rejuvenated and have a you know, a different perspective on things. Um,
I'm just I'm just in so much gratitude to get
to have this life and music that we have, and um,
(03:41):
thanks for what you guys do, Thanks for supporting us,
and thanks for helping bring music into people's lives right now,
because you know, we we need some medicine right now
in our country to to get through a lot of
the stuff that's happening right now. But the America that
I know and love, we've been able to go out
and tour and see that part of it, Uh, not
what the media is, respective of what it is. And
(04:02):
I'm grateful to uh to be to be a part
of that comeback of everybody being able to come back
together again, and and uh, thanks for what y'all are,
for what you're doing. Let me point out also that
after she opened that cab, but she says she can't
recall the last six cuts on the album beside the point,
um you know, you know, and listening to the album,
(04:24):
you and your team, I mean, you sound great and honestly,
since a fresh upbeat vibe in your voice. Is that
what you're feeling? Yeah? Absolutely, man, I feel like I
feel the same way I did when we first made
the Foundation and we were just excited to go out
and show people what we are and what we do.
I've got that same that same feeling. Um, I'm in
(04:45):
a really really good place. And um, I think the
music is gonna reflect that a lot. And I wonder
you know, you're always dressed to the nines and looking
sharp and everything. Right now, So during COVID World, did
where you for all the zoom calls and everything? Are
are you doing like waste up full on? Or you
(05:06):
are you? You're do? Tell me about you? What are
you wearing? What? Zach he's there his bathroomb right now?
What the hell kind of phone call is this? What
are you wearing? Do we have an as well? You
always just sharp, brother, I just got you. You're you're
very kind and you've always had a class look about yourself. Gosh, shot,
(05:28):
you're a sharp dress man. As they say, hey listen,
so you're talking about, you know, being in people's lives
with the music connecting to fans same boat? Really does that?
Does that song just feel like it is a reconnection,
a stronger connection to your fans. Yeah, and I think
it's important that you know, there's a lot of people
(05:49):
talking about how divided we are, and I don't see
that in my community. I know there's pockets of it
around everywhere. I don't want to make light of that
for anyone, but I but I think it's important that
that we all, you know, see how we're all the
same and that was our you know, homage to to that.
You know, we all go through a lot of the
(06:09):
same things, um in in different different ways. But um,
it's it's fun man. You know when you find yourself,
you know, you go through some things and you come
through and you're just like, Okay, this is what I am,
this is where I'm going and doing, and this is
this is a great chapter. This is the first chapter
of a new book for for me. I just I
(06:30):
personally don't even feel like the same person that I
was a few years ago. So um, I'm so excited
for this to come out. Thank you all for supporting it.
It's a big day to day for me. Well listen
that you know you bring up some interesting things. Is
that You're right, we all go through some things. What
have you found about yourself? What have you discovered? What
(06:51):
is your truth now that you're talking about It's a
big question we think of it. Yeah, let me think
of a way to uh to our tick like that.
You know, my world, my my working world, my businesses
and all that I had, you know, two hundred forties
something employees when COVID started. I've got about forty now,
so I'm about two hundred people less on a payroll situation. Um,
(07:16):
I've my my circle is a lot smaller, and I'm
happy with that. I don't need a big circle and
the amount of people that you can truly count on
to be there and be dependable and be all those
things like you know you can count on on one
or two hands. Um, you're lucky if you can count
on one hand the amount of people you can trust,
(07:36):
you know, everything that you have with And so I
think just a piece of mind. I think my connection
to UM, to my people, connection to my family, and
I think being being ingratitude. That's that's the big thing.
I would say, just really being ingratitude for for everything
that that we have and being able to reflect. I mean,
(07:57):
I felt like I was hanging onto the you know
tale of a rock get shipped for a lot of years,
like drinking out of a fire hydrant, and and now
you know, we're able to kind of reflect on it
and we it destroyed my machine and we had to
rebuild it. We rebuilt it smarter. And just being out
of conflict, you know, um, getting through getting through a
divorce and the things that come along with that. And um,
(08:19):
you know, my ex is she's doing great, My kids
are great. Um, there's no conflict now, my home is
great and peaceful, and my creativity is back. I feel
like I feel like I'm I'm back to uh you know,
to a really good place again. All right, to come
back is complete. All right, we'll put you on the
spot as well. Close things out here. So you're stuck
on the same boat with just a couple of people
(08:40):
who would be on board with you. Uh, let me
think about that. Well, I would say, I would say,
being a little bit of a survivalist and outdoorsman myself,
I would probably have a couple really people that have
a lot of grit and know how to do a
lot of things. Um. One of them would be my
last bus driver, probably Jeremy. Um, he's uh, he's a
(09:05):
mechanic and can fix just about anything. He's a hell
of a shot. Um he can, you know, get through
some things. I would say, um, he would, he would
be one of them. Um. And if we're out surviving
to do it, you know one of my boys that
you gotta have somebody to talk to and do whatever.
And um, you know Koy who's in my band, has
(09:26):
endless stories about all his buddies from where he's from
in Thomaston, Georgia. And you's got to be somebody that's
a racking tour that's gonna kind of keep you, uh,
keep you going. But that you know that's down. You
gotta have some grit. You know, you got some people
with some grits, so you can build some nice shelters
and get your food going and kicking on the island.
(09:47):
I think that'd be a great existence for a while.
And make sure make sure you've got a case of wine.
There you go, you're done, you're set song. But all right,
well listen, we gotta go. I gotta go get dressed, Zack, Zack,
put on some pants. Come on now, it's almost not
a clock. We'll talk to you later. But alright, thank you,
(10:07):
thank you, thank you. Oh, you guys are hilarious. Well,
he's He's always had this great sense of humor and
it's and it says a lot when you hear that
humor in his voice nowadays, considering everything he's been through
that you know that you mentioned the Owl at the
beginning of the podcast here. That was his last project.
That was two years ago. It's been two years since
the music. He's been through a lot, and I tell you,
(10:29):
the musicianship and the harmonies of that bandage is incredible.
It's good to see him back. Yeah, Zach sounding better
than ever on the album The Comeback. We have about
twenty favorite news songs. Yes we do, alright, folks, we
have your country cover. Listen to the Crook and Chase
Countdown every weekend on hundreds of radio stations across America,
(10:51):
also streaming on I Heart Radio and follow us on Facebook,
a k A, Meta, Twitter, and Instagram. And Chase Color Cosmetics.
We believe that beauty should be within everyone's reach. True
beauty is about giving yourself the freedom to pop and
color pap lets. You create your own definition of beauty.
Color pap is a leading cruelty free cosmetics brand combining
(11:11):
the latest trends with luxury quality formulas at an affordable price,
from super shack shadow to eyeshadow pellets in every color
to the best foundation and concealer on the market. Check
out the brand That's One awards from Glamour, Lura and more.
Learn more at color Pop That's c O l O.
You are pop dot com Beauty for Everyone. Adoption of
teens from foster care is a topic not enough people
(11:33):
know about, and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinuity,
host of the new podcast Navigating Adoption presented by adopt
Us Kids. Each episode brings you compelling, real life adoption
stories told by the families that lived them, with commentary
from experts. Visit adopt us Kids dot org, slash podcast
or subscribe to Navigating Adoption presented by adopt Us Kids,
(11:53):
brought to you by the U. S Department of Health
and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and the
ACT Council. After thirty years, it's time to return to
the halls of West Beverly High and hang out at
the peach pit on the podcast nine O two one
o MG. Visit Jenny Garth and Tory Spelling for a
rewatch of the hit series Beverly Hills nine O two
one oh. From the very beginning, we get to tell
(12:15):
the fans all of the behind the scenes stories to
actually happen, so they know what happened on camera, obviously,
but we can tell them all the good stuff that
happened off camera. Listen to nine O two one o
MG on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
When I started wedding planning, I didn't have time or
money to waste. That's why I chose Joy. Joy is
you're all in one wedding planner and the only registry
with zero fees on cash gifts. Create a beautiful wedding
website backed by powerful planning tools, integrate your guest list,
send the perfect save the dates and invitations, track r
s vps, and of course, add gifts from any store
(00:22):
to your all in one registry. It was so customizable
and easy to use. I couldn't believe it was free.
Discover the smarter way to plan in your big day
at with joy dot com. That's with Joy dot com,
Happy Planning. There's a recipe for getting your car running
just right, and eBay motors dot com as all the
ingredients you need. They have over a hundred and twenty
two million car parts and accessories in stock, all at
(00:45):
the right prices. Now that's tasty. eBay motors dot Com,
let's ride. What's your style resolution this year? Resolving to
buy more sustainably expresses new conscious edit genes contain at
least recycled divers or cleaner die techniques compared to additional practices.
Stop now at Express dot com or in stores. Hey everybody,
(01:06):
Lorien and Charlie here, Welcome into Crook and Chase Nashville
Chats today with Zach Brown. Talk about a man who
has been through a metamorphosis. I can say it, but
I can't spell it. He has a new album called
The Comeback, and this is just about the truest album
title to represent what he has been through. Now, even
(01:29):
before COVID, I mean, Zach was going through it wasn't he, Charlie,
life was just throwing the curve balls. He went through
a divorce. His album The Owl. Remember The Owl was
really pushed the limits of what fans think of as country.
It did not get a lot of airplay. Um, let's
(01:49):
just put it in the most basic terms. The music
was tanking. Zach was excited because he was really being
creative as an artist, but it was not being accepted.
Then COVID hit on top of everything else, and Zach
cosh Charlie, I remember it just still it's like a
(02:09):
knife in my heart. He was on social media. Zach
was literally in tears having to let go most of
his band and crew. Yeah, a lot of guys had
to do that. During the situation. But you know, you
find yourself in situations like this, what do you do?
You can either try to get out of it or
just go down further. Well, Zack fortunately has picked himself up.
Uh he. His attitude basically turned to gratitude. It's like, hey,
(02:33):
I'm ready, I'm I'm okay. I got through this and
thus the name of the album is to come back Now.
You hear a lot of things in his voice. I
don't think we've ever said this on the podcast before.
In his voice, You're gonna hear a vibe, You're gonna
hear a I think an awakening. Uh yeah, he's a
new man, he's a better man. And of course we
started out talking about music, and you really were floored
(02:57):
by his music and his own brand of wine. I'm
feeling good today. You know why why? Last night I
uncorked some uncaged cab and put your new record on
and had a great night. Man, Zack. This is some
great music. It feel, you know. I know it's called
the comeback, but this feels like coming home to me?
(03:20):
Am I on target with that at A Yeah? I
just think, you know, I've been through a lot of
stuff and being on the other side of a lot
of things and being able to be home and be
rejuvenated and have a you know, a different perspective on things. Um,
I'm just I'm just in so much gratitude to get
to have this life and music that we have, and um,
(03:41):
thanks for what you guys do, Thanks for supporting us,
and thanks for helping bring music into people's lives right now,
because you know, we we need some medicine right now
in our country to to get through a lot of
the stuff that's happening right now. But the America that
I know and love, we've been able to go out
and tour and see that part of it, Uh, not
what the media is, respective of what it is. And
(04:02):
I'm grateful to uh to be to be a part
of that comeback of everybody being able to come back
together again, and and uh, thanks for what y'all are,
for what you're doing. Let me point out also that
after she opened that cab, but she says she can't
recall the last six cuts on the album beside the point,
um you know, you know, and listening to the album,
(04:24):
you and your team, I mean, you sound great and honestly,
since a fresh upbeat vibe in your voice. Is that
what you're feeling? Yeah? Absolutely, man, I feel like I
feel the same way I did when we first made
the Foundation and we were just excited to go out
and show people what we are and what we do.
I've got that same that same feeling. Um, I'm in
(04:45):
a really really good place. And um, I think the
music is gonna reflect that a lot. And I wonder
you know, you're always dressed to the nines and looking
sharp and everything. Right now, So during COVID World, did
where you for all the zoom calls and everything? Are
are you doing like waste up full on? Or you
(05:06):
are you? You're do? Tell me about you? What are
you wearing? What? Zach he's there his bathroomb right now?
What the hell kind of phone call is this? What
are you wearing? Do we have an as well? You
always just sharp, brother, I just got you. You're you're
very kind and you've always had a class look about yourself. Gosh, shot,
(05:28):
you're a sharp dress man. As they say, hey listen,
so you're talking about, you know, being in people's lives
with the music connecting to fans same boat? Really does that?
Does that song just feel like it is a reconnection,
a stronger connection to your fans. Yeah, and I think
it's important that you know, there's a lot of people
(05:49):
talking about how divided we are, and I don't see
that in my community. I know there's pockets of it
around everywhere. I don't want to make light of that
for anyone, but I but I think it's important that
that we all, you know, see how we're all the
same and that was our you know, homage to to that.
You know, we all go through a lot of the
(06:09):
same things, um in in different different ways. But um,
it's it's fun man. You know when you find yourself,
you know, you go through some things and you come
through and you're just like, Okay, this is what I am,
this is where I'm going and doing, and this is
this is a great chapter. This is the first chapter
of a new book for for me. I just I
(06:30):
personally don't even feel like the same person that I
was a few years ago. So um, I'm so excited
for this to come out. Thank you all for supporting it.
It's a big day to day for me. Well listen
that you know you bring up some interesting things. Is
that You're right, we all go through some things. What
have you found about yourself? What have you discovered? What
(06:51):
is your truth now that you're talking about It's a
big question we think of it. Yeah, let me think
of a way to uh to our tick like that.
You know, my world, my my working world, my businesses
and all that I had, you know, two hundred forties
something employees when COVID started. I've got about forty now,
so I'm about two hundred people less on a payroll situation. Um,
(07:16):
I've my my circle is a lot smaller, and I'm
happy with that. I don't need a big circle and
the amount of people that you can truly count on
to be there and be dependable and be all those
things like you know you can count on on one
or two hands. Um, you're lucky if you can count
on one hand the amount of people you can trust,
(07:36):
you know, everything that you have with And so I
think just a piece of mind. I think my connection
to UM, to my people, connection to my family, and
I think being being ingratitude. That's that's the big thing.
I would say, just really being ingratitude for for everything
that that we have and being able to reflect. I mean,
(07:57):
I felt like I was hanging onto the you know
tale of a rock get shipped for a lot of years,
like drinking out of a fire hydrant, and and now
you know, we're able to kind of reflect on it
and we it destroyed my machine and we had to
rebuild it. We rebuilt it smarter. And just being out
of conflict, you know, um, getting through getting through a
divorce and the things that come along with that. And um,
(08:19):
you know, my ex is she's doing great, My kids
are great. Um, there's no conflict now, my home is
great and peaceful, and my creativity is back. I feel
like I feel like I'm I'm back to uh you know,
to a really good place again. All right, to come
back is complete. All right, we'll put you on the
spot as well. Close things out here. So you're stuck
on the same boat with just a couple of people
(08:40):
who would be on board with you. Uh, let me
think about that. Well, I would say, I would say,
being a little bit of a survivalist and outdoorsman myself,
I would probably have a couple really people that have
a lot of grit and know how to do a
lot of things. Um. One of them would be my
last bus driver, probably Jeremy. Um, he's uh, he's a
(09:05):
mechanic and can fix just about anything. He's a hell
of a shot. Um he can, you know, get through
some things. I would say, um, he would, he would
be one of them. Um. And if we're out surviving
to do it, you know one of my boys that
you gotta have somebody to talk to and do whatever.
And um, you know Koy who's in my band, has
(09:26):
endless stories about all his buddies from where he's from
in Thomaston, Georgia. And you's got to be somebody that's
a racking tour that's gonna kind of keep you, uh,
keep you going. But that you know that's down. You
gotta have some grit. You know, you got some people
with some grits, so you can build some nice shelters
and get your food going and kicking on the island.
(09:47):
I think that'd be a great existence for a while.
And make sure make sure you've got a case of wine.
There you go, you're done, you're set song. But all right,
well listen, we gotta go. I gotta go get dressed, Zack, Zack,
put on some pants. Come on now, it's almost not
a clock. We'll talk to you later. But alright, thank you,
(10:07):
thank you, thank you. Oh, you guys are hilarious. Well,
he's He's always had this great sense of humor and
it's and it says a lot when you hear that
humor in his voice nowadays, considering everything he's been through
that you know that you mentioned the Owl at the
beginning of the podcast here. That was his last project.
That was two years ago. It's been two years since
the music. He's been through a lot, and I tell you,
(10:29):
the musicianship and the harmonies of that bandage is incredible.
It's good to see him back. Yeah, Zach sounding better
than ever on the album The Comeback. We have about
twenty favorite news songs. Yes we do, alright, folks, we
have your country cover. Listen to the Crook and Chase
Countdown every weekend on hundreds of radio stations across America,
(10:51):
also streaming on I Heart Radio and follow us on Facebook,
a k A, Meta, Twitter, and Instagram. And Chase Color Cosmetics.
We believe that beauty should be within everyone's reach. True
beauty is about giving yourself the freedom to pop and
color pap lets. You create your own definition of beauty.
Color pap is a leading cruelty free cosmetics brand combining
(11:11):
the latest trends with luxury quality formulas at an affordable price,
from super shack shadow to eyeshadow pellets in every color
to the best foundation and concealer on the market. Check
out the brand That's One awards from Glamour, Lura and more.
Learn more at color Pop That's c O l O.
You are pop dot com Beauty for Everyone. Adoption of
teens from foster care is a topic not enough people
(11:33):
know about, and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinuity,
host of the new podcast Navigating Adoption presented by adopt
Us Kids. Each episode brings you compelling, real life adoption
stories told by the families that lived them, with commentary
from experts. Visit adopt us Kids dot org, slash podcast
or subscribe to Navigating Adoption presented by adopt Us Kids,
(11:53):
brought to you by the U. S Department of Health
and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and the
ACT Council. After thirty years, it's time to return to
the halls of West Beverly High and hang out at
the peach pit on the podcast nine O two one
o MG. Visit Jenny Garth and Tory Spelling for a
rewatch of the hit series Beverly Hills nine O two
one oh. From the very beginning, we get to tell
(12:15):
the fans all of the behind the scenes stories to
actually happen, so they know what happened on camera, obviously,
but we can tell them all the good stuff that
happened off camera. Listen to nine O two one o
MG on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.