When it comes to songwriting, it seems impossible to keep Zac Brown in a box. The longtime frontman of the Zac Brown Band is known for his rugged, yet smooth voice that shines on such ZBB hits as “Colder Weather,” “Chicken Fried” and “Goodbye in Her Eyes.” In addition to being the face of the band, the multi-instrumentalist is also a sharp songwriter, having penned songs recorded by artists on opposite ends of the musical spectrum. From EDM superstars to his country music contemporaries, check out four songs you didn’t know Brown wrote for other artists.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Dance With Me” by Diplo ft. Thomas Rhett and Young Thug
Written by Diplo, Zac Brown, Thomas Rhett, Young Thug, Ryan Tedder, Philip Meckseper, Zach Skelton and Julian Bunetta
Zac Brown may have found fame in country music, but that doesn’t mean he can’t explore other genres as a songwriter. He proved that by teaming up with EDM DJ and producer Diplo, along with Thomas Rhett, Young Thug, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Philip Meckseper, Zach Skelton and Julian Bunetta to co-write “Dance With Me,” Diplo’s cross-genre collaboration with country star Rhett and rapper Young Thug.
Featured on Diplo’s 2020 duets album, Chapter 1: Snake Oil, “Dance With Me” is built around a pulsing, danceable beat as Rhett and Young Thug sing about a couple that’s fallen out of touch. Brown and Danielle Bradbery were also guest artists on a track called “Hometown.”
2. “Broken Arrows” by Avicii ft. Zac Brown
Written by Avicii, Zac Brown, Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk, Niko Moon and Eric Turner
Before working with Diplo, Zac Brown previously teamed up with Swedish DJ Avicii on “Broken Arrows” off the latter’s 2015 album, Stories. The mystifying melody by Avicii supports Brown’s lead vocals as he sings, Cause it’s not too late, it’s not too late/I see the hope in your heart/And sometimes you lose and sometimes you’re shooting/Broken arrows in the dark. The song was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the U.S. and hit the Top 5 in Avicii’s native Sweden.
3. “This Song’s for You” by Joey + Rory
Written by Rory Feek and Zac Brown
Zac Brown and Rory Feek joined forces to write “This Song’s for You,” the lead single off former duo Joey + Rory’s Album Number Two. The pair wrote the song while the duo was an opening act on Zac Brown Band’s 2010 Breaking Southern Ground Tour. In addition to co-writing, Brown is also a featured vocalist on the song’s bridge before reprising the chorus with the duo.
“We wrote with Zac a couple times while we were out,” Rory Feek explained at the time. “Just jumped on his bus and hung out and he and I wrote some songs. One of the tunes, ‘This Song’s for You,’ was written specifically for our fans, telling them how we feel about them.”
4. “Along for the Ride” by Randy Houser
Written by Randy Houser, Zac Brown and Levi Lowrey
Before he was writing pop-flavored tracks, Zac Brown has long been making a name for himself in the country format. Even after ZBB blew up, Brown was still writing songs for his peers, including “Along for the Ride” for Randy Houser. This soulful ballad off Houser’s 2013 album, How Country Feels, is all about embracing the present moment, exemplified through such lyrics as, Everything’s gonna happen in its own sweet time/So why do we worry, friend/To ask ourselves why?/We’re all just along for the ride.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
