Country singer-songwriter Zach Bryan is currently on the road in support of his sixth studio album, With Heaven on Top. While he still has several state lines to cross before landing in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Aug. 7, one fan is thinking ahead. Marcus Russell, an aspiring folk singer-songwriter living in Salt Lake City, recently reached out to the “Something in the Orange” singer on X/Twitter—and to his surprise, Bryan replied.
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On Friday (March 13), Russell shared a video captioned, “I really hope he sees his tweet.” The clip shows him sitting down and holding up a poster that reads, “Zach Bryan, I have a speech impediment, but your music helps me find my voice. It would be an honor to sing ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ on August 7.”
In an example of harnessing the power of social media for good, the tweet did indeed find its way to the Grammy winner. “See u August 7th brother,” Bryan replied Saturday (March 14).
See u August 7th brother https://t.co/Thtb9pIZHO
— Zach Bryan (@zachlanebryan) March 14, 2026
The “Pink Skies” hitmaker’s response clearly made Russell’s day. “BRUH NO WAY!!!!!!!!” he responded. “can’t wait to see you soon.”
“Don’t Give Up On Me” is a deep cut from Bryan’s 2019 studio debut DeAnn, named for his late mother. The “Revival” singer recorded the album at an Airbnb in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was stationed with the U.S. Navy at the time.
[RELATED: Zach Bryan’s New Album Knocks Morgan Wallen Out of the Top Spot]
Zach Bryan Has Plans For His Favorite Writer’s Legacy
A self-avowed Jack Kerouac fanboy, Zach Bryan has routinely cited the Beat author as a primary source of inspiration for his own work, specifically the 2022 song “Burn, Burn, Burn.” In the last year, he has taken that fandom to the next level, purchasing the historic former Saint Jean Baptiste Church building in Lowell, Massachusetts—where Kerouac was once an altar boy—in 2025.
With the property now under his control, Bryan plans to work with the Jack Kerouac Foundation to establish a Jack Kerouac Museum, Performance, and Education Center inside the church. And just this past week, the country singer added to his collection when he paid $12.135 million for Kerouac’s original On the Road manuscript, a typed single-spaced, 120-page scroll.
The manuscript was part of a collection that belonged to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who died in May 2025 at age 65.
Featured image by Keith Griner/Getty Images
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