On The Row: Zach John King Brings His Own Twist to Tradition

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Zach John King. Photo: Emma Shane Heim

Zach John King recently stopped by the MusicRow office to share a few songs. Blending storytelling, humor and a keen sense of self, his songs reveal a perspective that’s both relatable and distinctly his own.

The Georgia-born, Nashville-based Sony Music Nashville artist moved to town to be a songwriter, but quickly realized he missed having a chance to share his own stories from the stage. The self-titled “wannabe cowboy” brings a voice that balances humor, grit and honesty, making each song feel like a peek into his world.

Zach John King visits with MusicRow team

“When it comes to my artistry, I want to make sure what you see is what you get. The more specific you are to yourself, the more people relate to it.”

King kicked off the visit by playing his introspective “Wannabe Cowboy,” a track about navigating the line between family tradition and his own version of life.

“Everyone moves here to be a cowboy. You look up to Waylon [Jennings] and Merle [Haggard] and think, ‘wow, those are awesome people.’ The only problem is I live in a cul-de-sac and I don’t really love horses,” King joked. “But, my grandparents lived out in Albuquerque, New Mexico and my granddad is a cowboy. That’s in my blood too.”

He followed that with the reflective “I Deserve A Heartbreak,” a tune King wrote about regretting how he ended a past relationship. He closed out his visit with fan-favorite “Lose You,” his highest streaming single to date.

King will finish out the summer opening Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem Tour” before joining Luke Bryan and Gavin Adcock for select dates this fall.

Lauryn Sink
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