By Walker Clemans

Photo courtesy of Zach Bryan.com.

My first experience with the music of country performer Zach Bryan could not have been more perfect. I had heard of a song called “Heading South” from a friend, so I searched it on YouTube. The first option was a video of a 20-something-year-old in what looked like someone’s backyard at night. I clicked on the video and was immediately stunned by the power in the man’s voice and lyrics. I was only further impressed when I realized the sounds I could hear in the background were made by crickets, and the video had been recorded on someone’s iPhone; there was no sound booth trickery or autotune involved. This was country music as it started in its purest form. As country legend Allen Harlan put it, country music is “three chords and the truth,” and Bryan’s style could not exemplify that better.

I was not the only one who was impressed by that video of Bryan singing behind his Navy barracks. The video sparked his career and now has almost 15 million views. Bryan released his first single, “Heading South,” in 2019. His first album, DeAnn, followed later that year on August 24. My favorite song on this album is “Condemned.” This song has a faster-paced acoustic backing with Bryan on the guitar. The lyrics of the first verse paint a picture of a man alone after a fall from grace and dealing with feelings of abandonment. As the song continues onto the bridge, Bryan replaces the line “Nobody gives a damn about me” with “looking for somebody who can save me.” This creates a feeling of renewal and hope in the song that leaves our imagined character looking to the future. This kind of tremendous storytelling ability, with subtle shifts in lyrics, is one of the most attractive parts of Bryan’s music. Syd Jamison (‘22) said “[His music] connects with me because his lyrics are relatable, and his sound is authentic.” This reflects the feelings of many of Bryan’s devoted fans.

Bryan’s second album, Elisabeth, was released in May 2020. One standout song from this album is “Old Man.” Great music ,and especially country music, in its essence can be boiled down to one single point: the ability to convey emotion through music. In the song “Ride,” by David Allen Coe, the fictional ghost of Hank Williams asks the narrator if he is ready to be a star with this question: “Boy, can you make folks feel what you feel inside?” If these are the criteria, then “Old Man” proves undoubtedly that Bryan is “big star bound.” The song is a slow, powerful ode to Bryan’s father. Through this song, Bryan thanks his father for everything he sacrificed for him growing up. The chorus reads: 

“‘N old man the blood that you bled

And the mouths that you fed at your door

‘N old man the sweat that you pour

Proves that they don’t make em’ like you no more

‘N old man the dinners you missed

So your daughters could eat at this table

‘N old man I would give back all the things that you’ve lacked if I’s able” 

In the second verse, Bryan recalls a conversation he had with his father after a show in Pineville, North Carolina. He recalls his father’s smile and how proud he was of his son and how he would “go back in time, so I could raise up this family again.” This song is not one I play often, due to its uncanny ability to cause tears, but it is far and away Bryan’s most powerful and meaningful song.

I would be amiss if I ignored the singles Bryan has released between 2019 and 2022. Of the six singles, “Oklahoma City” and “From Austin” are my personal favorites. In “Oklahoma City,” Bryan sings about an old friend he has not seen in some time but hopes to meet that night in Oklahoma City. In “From Austin,” Bryan sings about leaving a girlfriend in Austin for both their sakes.

Bryan’s music is a summation of incredible musical talent and thoughtful lyricism that combines to create some of the best country music available today.