Zach Aaron is an artist out of Liberty County, Texas, that I discovered a few years ago when I stumbled across his album Fill Dirt Wanted. One thing I try to do is introduce people to artists they might not have listened to before. So when searching for artists to interview, Zach came to mind instantly, especially because I wanted to know. Who is Zach Aaron behind his music?

 Zach told me he first started playing guitar when he was 18. He went on to say, “A co-worker on the construction site played guitar and showed me a couple chords. I became obsessed with playing and soon began writing my own songs.” Zach said he’d describe his music as “Singer/ Songwriter, Country Folk, or something along those lines.” Which I think anyone who’s heard his music would agree.

When asked who or what inspired him to start making music, Zach said, “I just kind of stumbled upon it and grew a passion for it.” But who are some artists that inspired or influenced Zach? He said, “Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, Chris Ledoux, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Chris Cornell, Ian Tyson, Bob Dylan, and Utah Phillips.”

What’s been Zachs favorite show or venue to play so far? He gave an interesting answer I wasn’t expecting, saying, “Rozenknopje in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.” What about his dream venue? Zach said his dream venue would have to be the Ryman Auditorium.

Zach said there haven’t been any real major turning points in his career, saying, “It’s been a slow and steady kind of career, I reckon.” What’s something about Zach that people might not expect? He said, “I ride saddle broncs, and I like dirty chai lattes.” What does Zach hope people feel or take away from his songs? He said, ” I just hope people feel raw emotions, whichever ones those may be.”

What does success look like for Zach in music? He said, ” An ability to get down the road without worrying about my transmission going out and having a good secluded place to call home base when I’m not traveling.” What’s one piece of advice Zach would give to someone just starting out in music? He said, “Just be real and know that people don’t care about your fuck ups as much as you think. I used to tear myself apart the night after a show. I think it’s important to be hard on yourself, but not so much to where you hate yourself over some dumb shit.”

Back in early December, Zach recorded his first live album at Across the Tracks in Livingston, TX, which should be released this spring! Check out his website https://zachaaronmusic.com/home and follow him on social media to stay up-to-date with him!

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Thank you for reading this weeks artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Zach Aaron is behind his music. Go check him out, and go catch him at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned!