Zac Brown Band slated for 2009 Classic

To keep the festivities rocking and rolling on the second day of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., country music sensation the Zac Brown Band will perform live.

To keep the festivities rocking and rolling on the second day of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., country music sensation the Zac Brown Band will perform a free, live concert for thousands of enthusiastic fishing fans Saturday, Feb. 21, at 3 p.m. CT to kick off the official weigh-in of the 39th Bassmaster Classic at CenturyTel Center in Bossier City.

Zac Brown Band has established itself as a cutting edge group of artists with its smart and skillful mix of traditional country, bluegrass, Southern rock and reggae. The band released its first major-label album, The Foundation, in November 2008. It debuted at No. 17 on Billboard’s Top 200 and No. 3 on the Top Country Albums chart, while the No. 1 hit single, “Chicken Fried,” — No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Chart, No. 20 in the Top 100 and No. 52 in the Canadian Top 100 — has dominated the airwaves.

“Chicken Fried,” an infectious sing-along that gets rambunctious during the toe-tapping chorus, recently debuted as the second most downloaded country single on iTunes. The song, which invariably brings about screams, whoops and whistles from any crowd when it starts, was developed by Brown and co-writer Wyatt Durrette over several years.

According to Brown, the decidedly patriotic third verse was added after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The band’s latest single, “Whatever It Is,” has so far peaked at No. 42 on Billboard’s Hot Country Chart. The group also has three previous studio albums: Far From Einstyne (2004); Home Grown (2005) and Live from the Rock Bus Tour (2007).

Eponymous frontman and guitarist Zac Brown formed the band four years ago, joined by Jimmy De Martini on fiddle and vocals; John Driskell Hopkins on bass guitar, lead and background vocals; Coy Bowles on guitar and organ; and Chris Fryar on drums. Clay Cook, on guitar, organ, mandolin, steel guitar and vocals, joined the group in 2009.

For more on the Zac Brown Band, visit their Web site: ZacBrownBand.com.