Zach with The Oak Ridge Boys at the Dove Awards
On the Red Carpet at the GRAMMYs®
views online, and “Chain Breaker” has over 18 [WM] Any stories from the GRAMMYs ® or a Gospel Sunday Countdown. I just remember
million views. Did you ever expect to achieve Dove Awards? hearing this song, and I called Bill Gaither and
something like this?
said, “Have you heard this song?” and Bill was
[Zach] The Dove Awards were so cool! I had
like, “Yeah, we’re fixin’ to record it.”
[Zach] No, I really didn’t. It’s nuts. I recently the opportunity to play with The Oak Ridge found out “Old Church Choir” was going into Boys and Travis Greene. When they asked Joe said it was the first time he had been
its 20th week at number one. The only other me to open the Dove Awards, the first band I excited about a song in a long time, and to
artist with a longer song at number one was ever remember seeing as a kid was The Oak hear someone like that tell you that story when
Mercy Me with “Word of God Speak” in 2003, Ridge Boys. My grandparents would take us you’ve been a fan of theirs as a kid is amazing!
and it went twenty-three weeks. But this is the to Gospel/Bluegrass festivals through the hills longest number one of any solo artist, ever. It of Arkansas, and I remember seeing The Oak [WM] How did the Greg Allman tribute on the
blows my mind to think that it’s possible. For Ridge Boys at a theater called The Arkansas album come about?
one, “Chain Breaker” went fifteen weeks, and I Traveler. One of my favorite songs as a kid was just remember thinking there is no way I’ll ever “Elvira.”
[Zach] When I was in my Southern rock band
write another song that will do what “Chain
I sang “Midnight Rider” every night for seven
Breaker” did. When “Old Church Choir” came I wanted to unite all of these genres of music years. We did a lot of Allman Brothers songs,
out we were hoping that the song would get together at the Dove Awards. With Travis Greene and they heavily influenced our music. My dad
number one and connect with people. It felt like being an up and coming Gospel guy, and The had two younger brothers that were big Bob
a big summer song and it just had a fun, upbeat Oak Ridge Boys being an older Country/Gospel Seeger, Bad Company, Greg Allman, and Steve
message in it. Then, to see that it’s surpassed act, I wanted to merge those acts together and Miller band fans. Greg Allman was a huge
“Chain Breaker”. . . we’ve been watching this re-write “Chain Breaker.” We invited them, and influence for me as a songwriter and singer.
and saying, “Is this really happening?” The it all came together. Joe Bonsall, one of the Reading that book while I was in Spain was a
song that is going to radio this month will be head guys for The Oak Ridge Boys, told me a turning point.
the third single off our record. It’s my favorite story. He said, “I’ll be honest. I was a little late song on the entire record, and I’m so excited to the party. I didn’t hear “Chain Breaker” until For a lot of people, they don’t understand
about it. I just can’t wait to see what God has it had been out for several months. I was in a how a Christian artist can put out a cover of
planned for it. hotel in Dallas one day and I was listening to a secular song, but for me it was more than
CMT, and they had your video on rotation on that. God used a book I was reading about
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February 2018
WorshipMusician.com