 Courtesy: Music City Media
Originally from Texas, singer-songwriter Zach Stone hit Nashville ready to make his mark. While attending Belmont University, Stone’s talents were recognized as the winner of Belmont’s Best Of The Best. He then went on to sign a publishing deal and release a six-song EP, Ashes. On March 9th, he released a new single, "Four Letter Word," a lyric driven song about the heartbreak of unreciprocated love. Here, Stone
answers his Essential 8 and talks the move from Texas to Nashville, the surprising place he does his best songwriting, shares a quick-fix hotel room meal, and much more! When/where do you do your best writing? All of my best writing… let me say that again, ALL of my best writing… happens in the shower. I don’t know what it is about that steamy, closet-sized, cleansing station, but my mind just works overtime. I honestly think it’s a peaceful moment of my day and the hot water is therapeutic and relaxing. Seriously, I’ve had writing sessions where I’ve been working on a song for months with no inspiration, and then that morning, as I’m getting ready for the write, I’ll be in the shower and I come up with what I think is a cool hook or an entire melody…all to the rhythm of the falling water. The hardest part is running through the house, soaking wet, wrapped in a towel, to record it on my phone before I forget it all. Do you write about personal experience, the experiences of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination? I write about everything I encounter in life. It’s easiest to extract emotion from a personal experience, but I love creating; that’s my favorite part of the songwriting process. I usually take a personal experience or emotion and use that to imagine a story, almost like each song is a four-minute fairytale. Some “tales” have happy endings, and some don’t…but that’s how life is and that’s what makes for a good song. What’s your favorite food on the road? Man, when I’m on the road, where the menu consists of gas station hot dogs and fast food burgers, there’s nothing like a good, healthy meal. I really enjoy the times we stop at a local restaurant for a good steak with some grilled veggies, or making our own creations in the hotel microwave. One diet-hack road tip: buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and microwave rice at a grocery store; tear the chicken into small pieces and mix it into the cooked bag of rice. Enjoy a good protein and carb-filled lunch which is great after a hard, morning workout. Bon appétit! What are your “must have” albums for the road? I like a variety of albums to jam to while the road. My go-to albums are Nine Track Mind (Charlie Puth) and Close the Distance (Go Radio). If I’m chilling in the hotel room or the back of the van, I’ll listen to Dierks Bentley’s Riser or Gavin DeGraw’s Sweeter. My workout playlist is full of Eminem, Linkin Park, and my new favorite artist, NF. Of all of these, the most important tracks are the tunes that I listen to when it’s time to pump up for showtime. “That’s Damn Rock & Roll” (Eric Church) and “Green Lights” (NF) blare in my room before the show. (If you’re ever on my hotel block, I apologize in advance.)
What do you love most about being on the road?
I love traveling in general, so that makes touring an easy part of my job. I love seeing the country and learning more about this crazy, awesome world! I’m so blessed to say that, at 25-years-old, I’ve toured through almost forty states and have seen everything from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone and the beaches of Key West. I’ve made some great friends across the nation and discovered some amazing local diners, pizza joints, gyms, music shops and more. Those connections are what make every day on the road a treat for me, and it’s just another reason why I have the best job in the world! Is drinking at gigs a positive or a negative? I think making adult beverages available to responsible adults at shows is okay--as long as people are being responsible in their consumption and staying safe; that’s the number one thing. Personally, I don’t indulge at all when I’m on the road. As much fun as it is to tour, it’s really hard on the body; so, from a health perspective, it’s better to stay away from the temptation. My goal is to be a better me today than I was yesterday. I feel like the best version of “me” is energetic and clear-headed in preparation to give the best show I can for the fans! That’s my job and a privilege that I don’t take lightly. That being said, it certainly doesn’t bother me if people want to enjoy a beer or some bourbon at my shows; it’s just not my personal choice. I’ll also add, some people say, “Alcohol makes me more fun and outgoing!” But there’s nothing in a bottle that you can’t already find in yourself. Is there a recent release you cannot stop listening to? Recently, I’ve been digging Devin Dawson’s new album, Dark Horse. Devin and I went to school together; I’m not being biased when I say he is one of the best writers in Nashville right now. He’s also a tremendous, good person who only has good things to say about people. Combined with his work ethic, Devin Dawson is going to make a name for himself. I’ll also add my boy, NF; I seriously can’t overstate how much I love his music and how much his lyrics speak to my heart. His newest album, Perception, has some incredible vulnerability, and his song “Intro III” is a brilliant depiction of a conversation between him and fear … I’ll move on to the next question; I could “talk music” all day. Guess I picked the right job. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off? My biggest goal is to headline my own stadium tour. I love working creatively with lighting, video and especially stage production. The idea of totally building my own show from the ground up, designing everything from the stage to the lighting and creating an incredible audience experience, just gets me excited. (I actually start jumping up and down.) In the short term, I can’t wait to celebrate the opportunity to be an opener on a stadium tour. When it comes to my performances, I always say, “The bigger the stage, the better the show.” How has the transition been moving from the Lone Star State (Texas) to Music City, Tennessee, and why do you feel it was important in your career to make the move? Texas will always be my home, but Nashville is amazing. I can’t imagine finding another music community like the one I’ve found in Music City. I bump into fellow songwriters everywhere, and as a community, we are excited to support one another. There’s an immense amount of support here for musicians and songwriters, and I love being so close to the industry. Still, there’s more in Music City than just music and hot chicken! When I moved to Nashville, I was an 18-year-old kid chasing a professional baseball and a music career with no clue how to choose one over the other. In the last few years, I’ve taken huge strides as a person in my faith, work ethic and maturity. I am actually starting to feel like an adult (no matter how much I fight it). It’s great; if it weren’t for all the amazing people here in this amazing city, I wouldn’t be who I am today. What’s the biggest sacrifice that you’ve made in your music career and what have been some of your biggest hurdles? I really thrive on spending quality time with friends and loved ones, but that’s really hard to maintain when I’m on the road. Some people have a hard time understanding that what I do is a real job with real work, responsibilities and time commitments. My commitments require me to focus on what I’m doing and to prioritize. I do have some incredible, understanding friends that, when I come into town for only a day, I may never get to see because I’m working the entire time. Honestly, I just love people, so I’m truly sad when I’m unable to see everybody during my short stays. Trying to maintain relationships has been one of the biggest hurdles for me. I try to remain dedicated to fostering and taking care of those relationships because, someday, I do want to have a family and I want to be the best dad I can be to my little kiddos. Now being a recording and touring artist, what has the “road” taught you that you may not have otherwise learned as a student at Belmont University? There are some things you just have to learn by experience, and for me, the biggest one has been how to interact with an audience. On the nights when the crowd is interactive, it’s easy; but when we play a new venue, we’ve got to win the crowd. I try to tell people about my life and my music. I want the show to be fun and I interject witty comments (well, I think I’m witty). Sometimes, I realize I’m talking too much and need to just play the music! Learning to be an entertainer takes time; learning stage performance and presence takes time. I’m constantly learning how to transition in and out of songs and build a set so the audience stays engaged. I forget that I’ve done so many hundreds of shows since I was a kid; when I watch old videos, I realize how terrible I used to be! I knew I wanted to move, but I didn’t know how, so I’d be tripping over cables, breaking lights and falling into the crowd. Seriously, there’ve been times where I’ve run around, tripped, and come flying off a stage and ended up sprawled across multiple rows of seats. It’s taken me years of practice and falls to get comfortable on stage and not worry about whether a trained medic is in the audience. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about the music business since the launch of your music career? I think it’s easy for someone to tell you, “Talent isn’t everything.” I never quite got that until I really got into the industry. Saying this job is hard is a major understatement. This music career takes focus, work ethic, personality and an ability to make friends and become a contributing member of the community. It can be hard because, sometimes as a writer, you can isolate yourself and put yourself into “lock down;” while in lock down, networking opportunities may be lost. I want to learn how to better the balance between the actual work and networking. As a great mentor of mine says, “You’re always one relationship away from your next opportunity.” You were born with Brachydactyly. Tell us how you personally overcame what most would consider a life-altering physical hurdle to become proficient/successful as a ball player and musician, and what is the best advice you would offer to someone with the same condition and the same dream? Attitude is 100% key. Growing up with a hand difference really never seemed that difficult to me. I am blessed with two wonderful parents who constantly encouraged me to push my boundaries and try new things. They always shared their belief in me; so, I always believed in myself. Without the confidence and positivity they instilled in me, I could not have accomplished half of what I have. Next to that, I would say work ethic is equally as important. One thing about being different is that nobody knows how exactly to offer explanation, whether it’s how to throw a fastball or how to tie a shoe. I worked twice as hard to figure out how to make things work for me. I failed time after time, but I chose to work on hobbies, sports, and outlets that I truly love. It’s been worth the pursuit and the push forward, and that’s where the good attitude comes into play. I encourage anyone with a disability or physical obstacle before you to stay positive and confident. You may not have figured it out yet, but you will figure it out. I think we all have to learn how to deal with failure and look to improve ourselves every day through that combination of work ethic and attitude. Website Purchase
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