History of Zac Brown Band in Timeline
Zac Brown Band is an American country music band originating from Atlanta, Georgia. The band is led by Zac Brown and includes Jimmy De Martini, John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles, Chris Fryar, Clay Cook, Matt Mangano, Daniel de los Reyes, and Caroline Jones. They are known for blending country, rock, and other genres, achieving significant commercial success with numerous hit songs and albums.
3 hours ago : Zac Brown and Kendra Scott Celebrate Love: A Greece Wedding
Zac Brown and Kendra Scott officially married in a destination wedding in Greece. The intimate ceremony marked a beautiful chapter for the couple, witnessed by close friends and family.
1998: Brown Meets John Driskell Hopkins
In 1998, Zac Brown met John Driskell Hopkins when Hopkins was hosting an open mic night at CJ's Landing in Buckhead, Georgia.
2002: Zac Brown Band Touring
In 2002, Zac Brown was touring heavily, playing approximately 200 dates a year.
2003: "Chicken Fried" Original Recording
In 2003, "Chicken Fried" was originally recorded and included on the Home Grown album.
2003: Formation of Home Grown Label
In 2003, Zac Brown started his own record label, initially named Home Grown, which was later renamed Southern Ground.
2004: Coy Bowles Forms Coy Bowles and the Fellowship
In 2004, Coy Bowles formed his band Coy Bowles and the Fellowship after transferring to Georgia State University to study music and becoming involved in Atlanta's music scene.
2004: Jimmy De Martini Joins the Band
In 2004, Jimmy De Martini joined the Zac Brown Band as a violinist/fiddler and tenor vocalist after being recommended by Wyatt Durrette. De Martini's addition brought a "lead instrument" and harmony vocals to the band.
2004: Opening of Zac's Place and Touring Full-Time
In 2004, Zac Brown opened a music club and restaurant called "Zac's Place" with his father. Later that year, after the restaurant was bought by a developer, the Zac Brown Band bought a tour bus and began touring full-time.
2005: Hopkins Joins as Bass Guitarist
In 2005, John Driskell Hopkins joined Zac Brown Band as bass guitarist. He helped the band finish their number-one single "Toes", which was later partially recorded in his studio, Brighter Shade Studios.
2005: The Lost Trailers Contact Brown about Chicken Fried
In 2005, The Lost Trailers contacted Zac Brown expressing interest in recording "Chicken Fried". Brown agreed under the condition it be an album cut, not a single, as he hoped to release it himself later.
2006: Heartland's I Loved Her First Reaches No. 1
In 2006, Heartland reached No. 1 with "I Loved Her First", marking the last time a debut single reached No. 1 before Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" reached the top of the charts.
2006: The Lost Trailers Record "Chicken Fried"
In 2006, The Lost Trailers recorded "Chicken Fried" and released it as a single, but it was later withdrawn after Zac Brown decided he wanted to release it himself. Zac Brown co-wrote "Simple Life", which was recorded by The Lost Trailers on their self-titled 2006 album.
2006: Appearance at The Hangout Music Festival
In 2006, the Zac Brown Band made an appearance at The Hangout Music Festival.
October 2008: Atlantic Records Acquires Distribution of "Chicken Fried"
In October 2008, Atlantic Records acquired distribution of "Chicken Fried" after Live Nation Artists closed.
2008: "Chicken Fried" Re-recorded and Released to Radio
In 2008, the Zac Brown Band re-recorded and released their debut single "Chicken Fried" to country radio.
2008: Zac Brown Band Signs to Live Nation Artists Records; Chris Fryar Joins
In 2008, the Zac Brown Band signed with Live Nation Artists Records in association with Brown's label, Home Grown. Also in 2008, Chris Fryar joined the band as their new drummer after a recommendation from a mutual friend and a successful audition.
January 2009: Clay Cook Joins Zac Brown Band
In January 2009, Clay Cook, an Atlanta native, joined the Zac Brown Band as a multi-instrumentalist and high tenor vocalist. Cook had previously collaborated with John Mayer and Shawn Mullins and was a member of the Marshall Tucker Band.
October 2009: "Toes" Reaches Number One
In October 2009, Zac Brown Band's third single, "Toes", became their second Number One hit.
2009: Appearances at Hullabalou Music Festival and Began VIP Eat & Greet Experiences
In 2009, the Zac Brown Band performed at the Hullabalou Music Festival. Also in Fall of 2009, the band began offering fan-club members the ability to purchase tickets to VIP Eat & Greet experiences before the majority of their tour appearances.
2009: 2009 CMA and Grammy Nominations
In 2009, the Zac Brown Band received four nominations for the 2009 CMA Awards, including New Artist of the Year, and three Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist.
2009: ACM Award Nominations
In 2009, the Zac Brown Band was nominated for three ACM awards, including Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
January 31, 2010: Grammy Award for Best New Artist
On January 31, 2010, the Zac Brown Band won the Grammy award for Best New Artist, making them the only country group to win this award.
August 21, 2010: "Free" Reaches Number One
On August 21, 2010, "Free", the fifth single from The Foundation album, peaked at Number One.
September 2010: Sailing Southern Ground Theme Cruise Hosting
In September 2010, after being perennial favorites on The Rock Boat theme-cruise for several years, the Zac Brown Band hosted their own theme-cruise called Sailing Southern Ground.
2011: Concert Tour with Blackberry Smoke
In 2011, the Zac Brown Band and Blackberry Smoke held a concert tour at venues and amphitheaters including Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA.
April 25, 2012: Daniel de los Reyes Joins the Band
On April 25, 2012, Daniel de los Reyes officially joined the Zac Brown Band as a percussionist after touring and recording with them.
January 16, 2013: Benefit Concert for Pine Creek Firefighters and Residents
On January 16, 2013, Zac Brown, Clay Cook, and David Ryan Harris played a benefit with John Mayer for the firefighters and the residents of Pine Creek in Park County, Montana, who fought a fire that swept through the area and destroyed five homes.
January 20, 2013: National Anthem Performance at NFC Championship Game
On January 20, 2013, the Zac Brown Band performed the National Anthem during the NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers.
February 25, 2013: "Jump Right In" Released to Country Radio
On February 25, 2013, "Jump Right In", the third single from the Uncaged album, was released to country radio.
April 28, 2013: Headlined Stagecoach Festival
On April 28, 2013, the Zac Brown Band headlined the 2013 Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California.
May 8, 2013: Headlining Show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, Zac Brown Band began a three-night, headlining stint at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The performance was sold out.
May 9, 2013: Headlining Show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
On Thursday, May 9, 2013, Zac Brown Band performed the second night of a three-night, headlining stint at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The performance was sold out.
May 10, 2013: Headlining Show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
On Friday, May 10, 2013, Zac Brown Band completed a three-night, headlining stint at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The performance was sold out.
August 2013: "Jump Right In" Peaked at Number Two
In August 2013, "Jump Right In" peaked at number 2 on the Country Airplay chart.
September 6, 2013: Performance as Zac Brown Incident at Lockin' Festival
On September 6, 2013, Zac Brown sat in with The String Cheese Incident and performed as the Zac Brown Incident during the inaugural Lockin' Festival in Arrington, VA.
November 6, 2013: Performance at the 2013 CMA Awards with Dave Grohl
On November 6, 2013, Zac Brown Band performed at the 2013 CMA awards with Dave Grohl on drums, debuting their new song "Day for the Dead".
December 2013: Release of The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1
In December 2013, the Zac Brown Band released a digital four-song EP titled The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1, which was produced by Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters. A physical release, featuring a 45-minute DVD on the album's creation, followed.
2013: Southern Ground Music & Food Festival Recording
In 2013, the Zac Brown Band recorded the song(s) "Free" and "Into the Mystic" at the Southern Ground Music & Food Festival in Nashville.
January 1, 2014: National Anthem Performance at NHL Winter Classic
On January 1, 2014, the Zac Brown Band performed the National Anthem during the NHL's Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings & Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium.
January 2014: "Sweet Annie" Reaches Number One
In January 2014, "Sweet Annie" rose to number 1 on the charts, with its music video featuring footage of Coy Bowles' wedding.
January 21, 2014: Release of Live Version of "Free/Into the Mystic"
On January 21, 2014, Zac Brown Band released a live version of their 2010 #1 hit "Free" (transitioning into the Van Morrison classic "Into the Mystic"). The track features Clare Bowen.
April 2014: Summer Tour Announcement and Matt Mangano Addition
In April 2014, the Zac Brown Band announced their summer tour schedule, which included Kacey Musgraves as an opening act. Matt Mangano joined as an eighth member, taking over bass guitar duties while John Driskell Hopkins expanded his instrumental repertoire.
January 12, 2015: Four-Way Strategic Partnership Finalized
On January 12, 2015, the Zac Brown Band finalized a four-way strategic partnership involving Southern Ground Artists, Big Machine Label Group, Republic Records, and John Varvatos Records for the release of their fourth studio album.
March 7, 2015: Saturday Night Live Debut
On March 7, 2015, the Zac Brown Band made their Saturday Night Live debut, performing "Homegrown" and "Heavy is the Head".
March 2015: Announcement of the Jekyll + Hyde Tour
In March 2015, Zac Brown Band announced the Jekyll + Hyde Tour, with nine shows scheduled at baseball parks.
April 28, 2015: Release of Jekyll + Hyde
On April 28, 2015, the Zac Brown Band released their album Jekyll + Hyde. The album, despite being a country album, features prominent styles from other genres including rock, EDM, celtic, reggae and traditional pop/jazz.
May 1, 2015: Jekyll + Hyde Tour Start
On May 1, 2015, the Zac Brown Band's Jekyll and Hyde Tour began in Nashville, Tennessee.
May 2015: London Date Announced for Jekyll + Hyde Tour
In May 2015, a London date was announced for the Zac Brown Band's Jekyll + Hyde Tour.
2015: Estimated Annual Income by Forbes
In 2015, Forbes estimated that Zac Brown Band's annual income was $32 million.
2016: "Beautiful Drug" Release
In 2016, Zac Brown Band released the single "Beautiful Drug", which was their last number one single before "Same Boat" in 2021.
2016: Formation of Sir Rosevelt Side-Project
In 2016, Zac Brown formed a side-project called Sir Rosevelt, releasing several singles.
January 30, 2017: Preview of Welcome Home Album Cover Art
On January 30, 2017, the Zac Brown Band previewed the cover art for their new album titled Welcome Home.
February 3, 2017: Release of "My Old Man"
On February 3, 2017, the Zac Brown Band released "My Old Man", the first single from their album Welcome Home.
March 29, 2017: The Tonight Show Performance
On March 29, 2017, the Zac Brown Band performed their song "Roots" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
May 12, 2017: Release of Welcome Home Album
On May 12, 2017, the Zac Brown Band released their album Welcome Home.
December 15, 2017: Sir Rosevelt Album Release
On December 15, 2017, Sir Rosevelt, a side-project formed by Zac Brown, released an album.
September 2018: CMT Crossroads Appearance Announced
In September 2018, it was announced that Zac Brown Band would make their second appearance on CMT Crossroads along with Shawn Mendes.
October 24, 2018: CMT Crossroads Televised Appearance
On October 24, 2018, Zac Brown Band's CMT Crossroads appearance with Shawn Mendes was televised.
November 16, 2018: "The Greatest Showman: Reimagined" Album Release
On November 16, 2018, the compilation album "The Greatest Showman: Reimagined" was released, featuring Zac Brown Band's re-recording of the song "From Now On".
July 26, 2019: Release of "Leaving Love Behind"
On July 26, 2019, a digital single from the album The Owl, "Leaving Love Behind", was released.
September 20, 2019: Release of The Owl Album
On September 20, 2019, Zac Brown Band released their sixth album, The Owl, which includes collaborations with various artists.
2019: Performance at Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum Concert
In 2019, Zac Brown performed "Colder Weather" at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum Concert and Induction Ceremony.
June 11, 2021: Release of "Same Boat"
On June 11, 2021, the Zac Brown Band released "Same Boat", the first single from their album The Comeback.
October 15, 2021: Release of The Comeback Album
On October 15, 2021, the Zac Brown Band released their seventh album The Comeback.
January 2022: Release of "Out in the Middle"
In January 2022, the Zac Brown Band released "Out in the Middle" as the second single from their album The Comeback.
September 2022: Release of The Comeback (Deluxe Edition)
In September 2022, a deluxe edition of The Comeback was released, featuring duets with Blake Shelton, Ingrid Andress, and others.
November 3, 2022: Caroline Jones Joins as Official Member
On November 3, 2022, Caroline Jones officially joined the Zac Brown Band as a member, becoming the band's first female member.
July 18, 2025: "Let It Run" Single Release
On July 18, 2025, Zac Brown Band released "Let It Run" featuring Snoop Dogg as the lead single from their upcoming album, "Love & Fear."
December 5, 2025: Love & Fear Album Release
On December 5, 2025, the Zac Brown Band released their eighth album, "Love & Fear," featuring Snoop Dogg, Dolly Parton, and Marcus King.
Mentioned in this timeline
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr professionally known as Snoop Dogg is...
Shawn Mendes is a Canadian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence...
Dolly Parton is a celebrated American singer-songwriter actress philanthropist and...
California is a U S state on the Pacific Coast...
Saturday Night Live SNL is a late-night live sketch comedy...
BlackBerry a once-popular brand of smartphones known for their physical...
Trending
5 minutes ago Oliver Glasner leads Crystal Palace to European glory after prior dismissal.
1 hour ago Dusty Baker's 'Crossroads' event arrives in Santa Cruz, marking a significant moment.
2 hours ago Kelly Clarkson shares tour warm-up secrets with Rita Wilson on the show.
3 hours ago Zac Brown and Kendra Scott Celebrate Love: A Greece Wedding
4 hours ago Mamdani trolls Ramaswamy after Knicks win, NYC to host viewing parties.
4 hours ago Hailey Baptiste shines at French Open, saving match points against Krejcikova.
Popular
Ken Paxton is an American politician and lawyer serving as...
Thomas Massie is a Republican politician and engineer representing Kentucky's...
Michael Joseph Jackson the King of Pop was a highly...
William Franklin Graham III known as Franklin Graham is an...
Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and U S military...
Chip Roy is an American attorney and politician currently serving...