Zach Williams (musician)

Zach Williams
Background information
Birth nameZachary Stephen Williams
Born (1978-06-27) June 27, 1978 (age 46)
Pensacola, Florida
OriginJonesboro, Arkansas
Genres
Years active2007 (2007)–present
LabelsEssential
Websitezachwilliamsmusic.com

Zachary Stephen Williams (born June 27, 1978) is an American Christian rock artist from Jonesboro, Arkansas. From 2007 through 2012 he was a member and lead vocalist of Zach Williams & The Reformation (also acoustic guitar and harmonica). He was also the lead singer of the Christian group Brothers of Grace, renamed as Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace. In 2016, he went onto a solo career.

Beginnings

Zachary Stephen Williams was born in Pensacola, Florida on June 27, 1978 but grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas.[1]

Music career

Zach Williams & The Reformation

He was the lead singer in Zach Williams & The Reformation,[2] an American rock band formed in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2007 by the group of Zach Williams (acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals), Red Dorton (bass guitar and vocals), Robby Rigsbee (slide guitar and rhythm guitar), Josh Copeland (lead guitar, rhythm guitar and vocals) and Evan Wilons (drums). The band took their name from the desire to reform or revitalize the southern rock sound. The band released two independent albums, Electric Revival in 2009 and A Southern Offering in 2011. In 2012, Williams disbanded the Reformation due to his newfound Christian beliefs.

The Brothers of Grace / Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace

After Zach Williams and the Reformation disbanded, Williams and guitarist Robby Rigsbee dedicated their lives to Christ and began playing music in their church. Church band the Brothers of Grace became Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace. Shaun Kirby, who had previously been part of southern rock band Further Down with Rigsbee, was the drummer. The group also included Bruce Ford (bass) and Kevin Rouse (keyboard). They independently released an EP, "Shine a Light", in 2014.

Solo career

In 2016 Williams signed to Provident Label Group - Essential Records as a solo artist,[3] four years after Zach Williams & The Reformation disbanded. He released his first solo single, "Chain Breaker" in 2016[4] which reached No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs Chart and the Top 10 on Christian radio.[5] Following the single, Williams released a five-song EP, Chain Breaker, with producers Jonathan Smith and Colby Wedgeworth.[citation needed] Williams also formerly led worship at the Refuge Campus of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he was on staff from 2014 to 2017.[6]

On December 14, 2016, Williams digitally released his full-length album, Chain Breaker, and announced a release date of January 27, 2017 for the CD.[7]

On October 4, 2019, Williams released his second album, Rescue Story. It includes the single, "There Was Jesus", with Dolly Parton.

On September 30, 2022, Williams released his third album. A Hundred Highways. It includes the single, "Heart of God". His song "Up There, Down Here", from the same album, was covered by contestant Warren Peay on season 21 of American Idol.[relevant?]

Discography

Albums

As Zach Williams & The Reformation

  • 2009: Electric Revival (Independent)
  • 2011: A Southern Offering (Independent)

Solo

Title Album details Peak chart positions Album
US
[8] 		US
Christ
[9] 		US
Folk
[10] 		US
Heat
[11] 		US
Rock
[12]
Chain Breaker 174 2 4 4 28
Rescue Story
  • Releasing: October 4, 2019
  • Label: Essential
  • Formats: CD, DL, streaming
 111
[13] 		2 5 — 21
A Hundred Highways
  • Releasing: September 30, 2022
  • Label: Essential
  • Formats: CD, DL, streaming

EPs

As Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace

  • 2014: Shine a Light EP

Solo

List of EPs, with selected chart positions
Title EP details Peak chart positions
US US
Christ
[9] 		US
Folk
[10] 		US
Heat
[11] 		US
Rock
[15]
Chain Breaker — 20 23 11 —
Survivor: Live from Harding Prison
  • Released: September 14, 2018[16]
  • Label: Provident
  • Format: Digital download
 —[A] 26 —[B] — 34[C]

Holiday albums

List of holiday albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[8] 		US
Christ.
[9] 		US
Holiday
[19]
I Don't Want Christmas to End
  • Released: October 22, 2021
  • Label: Provident/Sony
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — 46 11

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles, with year, album, and selected chart positions
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Bub.
[20] 		US
Rock
[21] 		US
Christ
[22] 		US
Christ Airplay
[23] 		US
Christ AC
[24] 		US
Christ Digital
[25]
2016 "Chain Breaker" — 9 1
[26] 		1 1 1 Chain Breaker
2017 "Old Church Choir" — 7 1 1
[27] 		1 1
2018 "Fear Is a Liar" — — 3 3 2 3
"Survivor" — — 11 3 4 —
2019 "Rescue Story" — — 5 2 2 6 Rescue Story
"There Was Jesus"
(featuring Dolly Parton) 		8 — 2 1 1 1
2020 "Empty Grave" — — 41 — — 19 Rescue Story (Deluxe Edition)
"Go Tell It on the Mountain" — — 17 3 2 — non-album single
2021 "Less Like Me" 25 — 4 1
[28] 		1 3 Rescue Story
"Heaven Help Me"[D] — 23 15 10 11 19
"I Don't Want Christmas to End" — — — 18 10 — I Don't Want Christmas to End
2022 "Heart of God" — 26 6 11 8 1 A Hundred Highways

Promotional singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Rock
[21] 		US
Christ
[22] 		US
Christ Digital
[25]
2019 "Walk With You" — 35 — Rescue Story
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Christ
[22] 		US
Christ Airplay
[23]
2017 "The First Christmas"
(Tenth Avenue North featuring Zach Williams) 		35 20 Decade the Halls, Vol. 1
2020 "Rattle!"
(Essential Worship featuring Zach Williams and Steven Furtick) 		46 — non-album single
2021 "Rise Up (Lazarus)"
(Cain featuring Zach Williams) 		— — non-album single
2023 "Cornerstone"
(TobyMac featuring Zach Williams) 		— 1 Life After Death

Other charted songs

List of charting songs, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Christ
[22] 		US
Christ Airplay
[23] 		US
Christ AC
[24] 		US
Christ Digital
[25]
"The Call of Christmas" 2017 49 31 6 — WOW Christmas

Awards and nominations

American Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 Zach Williams Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational Nominated
2021 Zach Williams Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational Nominated

Billboard Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 Zach Williams Top Christian Artist Nominated
"Old Church Choir" Top Christian Song Nominated
2019[29] Zach Williams Top Christian Artist Nominated
2021 Zach Williams Top Christian Artist Nominated
Rescue Story Top Christian Album Nominated
"There Was Jesus"
(with Dolly Parton) 		Top Christian Song Nominated

Grammy Awards

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2017 "Chain Breaker" Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Nominated
2018 Chain Breaker Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Won
2019 Survivor: Live From Harding Prison Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Nominated
2020 "Rescue Story" Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Nominated
2021 "There Was Jesus"
(featuring Dolly Parton) 		Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Won

GMA Dove Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2017 Zach Williams New Artist of the Year Won
Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
"Chain Breaker" Song of the Year Nominated
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year Won*
Chain Breaker Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year Nominated
2019 Zach Williams Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Survivor: Live From Harding Prison Long Form Video of the Year Nominated
2020 "Rescue Story" Song of the Year Nominated
Zach Williams Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Artist of the Year Nominated
Rescue Story Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year Nominated
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year Won
2021 "There Was Jesus" Song of the Year Nominated
Zach Williams Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Artist of the Year Nominated
"Stand My Ground" Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year Nominated
"There Was Jesus"
(featuring Dolly Parton) 		Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year Nominated
2022 Zach Williams Artist of the Year Nominated

Notes

  1. ^ Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 96 on the Top Current Albums chart.[17]
  2. ^ Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Americana/Folk Albums chart, but peaked at No. 12 on the Americana/Folk Album Sales chart.[18]
  3. ^ Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Rock Albums chart, but peaked at No. 34 on the Rock Album Sales chart.[15]
  4. ^ "Heaven Help Me" was released as a promotional single in 2019, prior to Rescue Story's release. It was not released as a radio single until 2021.

References

  1. ^ Broadcast Music, Inc. "Songwriter/Composer: Williams Zachary Stephen". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2016. [dead link]
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Zach Williams : Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Provident Label Group, Essential Records Sign Zach Williams". MusicRow.com. May 3, 2016.
  4. ^ "From Mainstream Rock To Gospel: Zach Williams Comes Clean With New Single, Chain Breaker". Breathecast.com. May 5, 2016.
  5. ^ "Zach Williams Chart History". Billboard.
  6. ^ "Zach Williams: Rocker With Religion". KAIT 8. May 3, 2016.
  7. ^ "JFH News: SURPRISE! GRAMMY NOMINATED ZACH WILLIAMS DROPS NEW ALBUM". www.jesusfreakhideout.com.
  8. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History — Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Zach Williams Chart History — Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History — Americana/Folk Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History — Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  12. ^ "Zach Williams Chart History – Top Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  13. ^ @billboardcharts (October 14, 2019). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/3)" (Tweet). Retrieved October 15, 2019 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "American certifications – Zach Williams". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History – Rock Album Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  16. ^ "Survivor: Live From Harding Prison – EP by Zach Williams on Apple Music". Apple Music. September 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  17. ^ "Zach Williams Chart History – Top Album Sales". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  18. ^ "Zach Williams Chart History – Americana/Folk Album Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  19. ^ "Zach Williams Album & Song Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  20. ^ "Zach Williams Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  22. ^ a b c d "Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Christian Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  23. ^ a b c "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  24. ^ a b "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian AC Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  25. ^ a b c "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Zach Williams' "Chain Breaker" Music Video Explodes; Single Stays No. 1 For 3rd Week!". ZachWilliamsMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  27. ^ "Zach Williams "Old Church Choir" Ties Record On Billboard's Christian Airplay". TheChristianBeat. January 7, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  28. ^ "Zach Williams Adds Fourth Christian Airplay Chart No. 1 With 'Less Like Me'". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  29. ^ Warner, Denise. "Cardi B Leads 2019 Billboard Music Awards Nominations With 21". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.