Zac Brown Band Brings It Back to Georgia

Friday night the air was cool and crisp, but the music at Encore Park was hot as Georgia asphalt. The Zac Brown Band rocked the capacity crowd with an awesome concert. Although in the midst of an international tour, Zac Brown was quick to point out that he was glad to be home.

The Dahlonega native and winner of multiple music awards including a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2010 is not an overnight success story. As early as 2002 the band had a touring schedule of over 200 dates. This year's tour includes London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Not too bad for a Georgia boy.

This concert was straight form the heart. If you have never heard The Zac Brown Band, you don't know what you are missing. Yes, this is country music, but it's not what you are thinking. Start with a large dose of melodic song writing, a pinch of country influence, a peck of harmonic vocals, add six heaping spoonfuls of Georgia's top musicians and you have the Zac Brown Band.

I've been alive long enough to recognize the passing of the torch. At the ACM awards  Zac Brown performed Colder Weather with James Taylor. When Zac Brown is singing you can hear the same emotional tonality that made James Taylor so commercially appealing. You can close your eyes and feel your heart being tugged.

The concert was homespun feel-good entertainment. The band performed all of their top hits including Colder Weather, As She's Walking Away, Toes, Whatever It Is and Chicken Fried.

One of my personal highlights was when Zac Brown whipped out one of Duane Allman's Gold Les Paul guitars. The sounds that came out of that guitar have never been sweeter. When the band performed Charlie Daniels' The Devil Went Down To Georgia, the crowd went nuts.

Zac Brown is a local boy. Just like Alan Jackson, James Brown, Otis Redding, The Allman Brothers, Little Richard, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Third Day and bunch I can't even remember. We are so fortunate to be surrounded with great music.

Smile ya'll, it's Georgia!