Werner moved to Toronto and joined local rock bandThe Ringing. The band, managed by Gary Pring (Glass Tiger), secured a development deal with Capitol Records.[citation needed] Werner formed the group Thick As Thieves and relocated to Los Angeles. The group opened for Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam and negotiated a distribution deal through BMG.[citation needed] When the band broke up, Werner returned to Toronto and signed a development deal with MCA as a solo-artist and worked with producer John Punter (Spoons, Japan).[citation needed]
Werner is a founding member of Canadian country rock band Haymaker, founded in 2007.[3][4]
From 2003-2008, Werner was one of the judges on Canadian Idol (in which capacity he appeared on a 2004 episode of Corner Gas).[6][7][8] He was also a judge on the 2003 one-off performance show, World Idol.
In 2011, Werner formed Zack Werner Idol School providing vocal performance training and mentoring across Greater Toronto and producing live concerts.[9][10][11] The students included Interscope Records recording artist Ren, Eurovision Song Contest semi-finalist Peter Serrado and up-and-coming singer/songwriter Mikalyn Hay. In 2013, he played a small role in the film Catch a Christmas Star.[12]
In 2016, Werner moved his Idol School to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.[13] In partnership with The Telegram and NTV (CJON-DT), he produced a province-wide singing contest for three years, Sing NL.[14][15] He also created a pop youth performance group KidZrock NL[16] and produced and managed records by artists Madeline Salter[17][18][19][20] and Abigale. Werner also returned to playing live with a long-term residency at Erin's Pub, and as a member of retro jam bands Groovy and, with Wade Pinhorn, Brad Jefford and Boomer Stamp, The Atomic Dogs.
In 2021, Werner returned to Toronto to work in business development/affairs in the digital rights and music publishing industry.[21]
