Jonesboro, AR—Back in the ‘70’s, the music world was literally rocked by a bunch of great bands from the South—groundbreaking acts like the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Molly Hatchet. Bands like this were spawned from a combination of Southern roots and from rock powerhouses such as Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Joe Cocker. And now, thirty or so years later, a group of young rockers from the hills of Northeast Arkansas look and sound like they stepped off of a bus that’s been in time travel since 1975. That band is Zach Williams and The Reformation, with a raucous self-titled debut due for release on April 7.
Like with other Southern rock bands, ZWR soulful vocalist and primary songwriter, has channeled the trials and tribulations of everyday life into the writing process. He also grew up watching his dad perform in classic rock bands, and when Zach received a ’67 Gibson Blue Ridge Custom from his dad as a effectively combines rock & roll, R&B, soul and blues, instantly drawing comparison to all of the bands mentioned above and more. Zach Williams, the group’s gift, a proverbial torch had been passed.
Williams put a band together in 2008 from some other young but veteran players from the local scene, and the result was almost magical. ZWR recorded some tracks at Young Avenue Studios in nearby Memphis, Tennessee, and proceeded to start gigging to record crowds almost as fast as the band was put together. With their stunning debut album, ZWR has toured Europe, the United States, and has played for the Armed Forces in Japan. ZWR promises to continue to spread their own take on classic Southern rock to the masses.