the hotel in Spain and told her I was coming of last year. God has orchestrated every little [WM] What guitars and music gear are you
home after the tour, and that I was quitting my thing, from the release of “Chain Breaker,” to playing now?
band. And that’s exactly what I did. “Old Church Choir,” and the places He’s put me in. It’s all just Him. God is doing what God does. [Zach] I play several different Gibsons. I’ve got
I came home from the tour and asked my wife A lot of times we get in the way of that. I wanted an old Gibson Blue Ridge acoustic that I’ll write
to forgive me. I hit the ground for the first time to be a Rock Star and was coming to Nashville on that my dad gave me it’s a 1967. It’s the
and fell on my hands and knees and asked playing clubs and bars trying to kick the doors one on the cover of “Chain Breaker” that says
God to come live in my heart. It was the first in and get a record deal. The second I stopped Grace on the back of it. I take that with me a
time in my life I could really breathe and not feel and started living for the Lord and allowing him lot because it’s the old beater guitar and I’ve
this weight of having to live up to things I had to do his thing. It was almost like he said, “Are written a lot of songs on that over the years. I’ve
created for myself. I put music down and didn’t you ready because I’m ready now and we’re got a Gibson True Vintage J45, a True Vintage
play for six months while we started going to going to do this?” Hummingbird, and then I just recently bought a
church.
Gibson Dove. I’ve played Gibsons most of my
[WM] Has the success of “Chain Breaker” on
Then, I started getting the itch again to play
life.
the Christian music charts surprised you?
music and started writing Christian music. I
I don’t use any special amps or gear. I’ve got a
went into a studio and recorded songs I had [Zach] Yes it has. I just got off the phone DI and a tuner, and that’s about it. I’ve always
written on my own, just to know that I could a while ago with Jonathan, the guy I wrote wanted a Hummingbird, and I was able to get
still write and play music. Not long after that “Chain Breaker” with, and we’re preparing to one of those this year. When I found out this
the church that we were attending invited me start writing the new record next week. When past year we were opening the Dove Awards,
to start singing there. I remember the first time I we wrote “Chain Breaker,” I remember the day I had been wanting a new guitar, and my wife
stepped on stage and led worship on a Sunday. that we wrote it thinking it was a special song. I said, “You should get a Gibson Dove because
It was the first time I ever felt that I wasn’t a started praying that God would use this song all you’re playing at the Dove Awards.” I was like,
phony, faking it, or trying to be somebody else. over the world. But honestly, in the back of my “Okay! If you’re giving me permission to buy
I told my wife, “I think this is what I’m supposed head, there was doubt. I thought that the song another guitar, I’m definitely buying it.” We got
to do.” might be too simple, too country, or too rock. I that guitar, and honestly, it sounds so good!
thought there was no way Christian music was The sustain on the Dove is so great, you can
Soon after that we got involved in prison ministry going to accept this song, and a new artist that hit a chord, walk away and come back, and
through our church. I played some songs I had they had never heard of. To see fans and people it’s still ringing. It’s crazy how different models
written at a prison one day, and we shared our get behind this song and rally around it, that’s and woods sound unique, even though they
testimony. About 25 women gave their lives what God does. He is a Chain Breaker. When may look the same. I play my Hummingbird
to the Lord. It was just this “Ah ha” moment you have something to say that everybody when I’m with the full band because it cuts
where everything clicked, and I felt like this was needs to hear and they and get behind, it just through more. The J45 and Dove sound great
exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I felt makes it so much better. Even though I’ve been acoustically because the J45 has more low end
God saying, “This is what I’ve called you to do. surprised, blown away, humbled, and honored and the Dove is more evenly balanced. But
This is the gift I’ve given you, and therefore I let to be a part of it, at the same time I know it’s then my old Gibson is great for writing because
you live and gave you a story to tell.” just God, doing what He does. the wood is so old and seasoned. . . it’s just got
Our church then invited me and my wife to help [WM] When do you think the new album will launch a campus and I worked there about come out?
that old tone.
When I was growing up we would always
three years. Then I had the opportunity to come
change strings and put the best strings on
to Nashville and start writing music. A little [Zach] We’re hoping for this fall. But also, if before we went to the studio. On this last
while after coming to Nashville, Jonathan Smith we get to the fall and don’t feel it’s ready, then record, for a lot of the acoustic parts, we
and Mia Fieldes and I wrote “Chain Breaker” we’ll push it back. That’s one of the cool things wanted the strings to be just as old and dead
together. A few months later, when the record about the label. They know I want it to be good, sounding as possible. It gave so much more of
label heard “Chain Breaker,” they offered me a and if it’s not ready they’re going to allow me to the texture and character on this record that we
record deal. It was one of those life changing make that decision. I have a lot of respect for were looking for.
moments. That was a little over a year and half them for that.
ago now, and we moved to Nashville in May
18
[WM] “Old Church Choir” has over 12 million
February 2018
WorshipMusician.com