Zac Brown Band: From Chicken Fried to Bohemian Rhapsody
In 2005, the Zac Brown Band self-released an album called Home Grown. This is where we find the first version of the band’s signature tune, Chicken Fried. However, without the backing of a major label, the song had little success.
Another band, The Lost Trailers, recorded their version in 2006 on the agreement that they wouldn’t release it as a single. When their label did so anyway and it became a hit, Zac forced them to withdraw it.
Once Zac landed a major label deal himself, he released Chicken Fried as a single—and it went to #1, selling over five million copies in the U.S.
The album it came with, The Foundation (2008), also contained another three #1 singles: Toes, Free, and Highway 20 Ride. Toes sold over three million copies, and the album itself went 3.4 million strong.
The follow-up, You Get What You Give (2010), also did well. It featured four more #1 singles: As She’s Walking Away, Colder Weather, Knee Deep, and Keep Me In Mind.
Their third album, Uncaged (2012), topped the charts again. While sales were more modest—just over a million—the singles Goodbye in Her Eyes and Sweet Annie both hit #1, with Jump Right In peaking at #2.
In 2015, Jekyll + Hyde marked a label switch and a joint three-label release. Although it sold well under a million copies, it still went to #1. Singles like Homegrown, Heavy Is the Head (featuring Chris Cornell), Loving You Easy, and Beautiful Drug all reached #1.
Another label change came with 2017’s Welcome Home. Sales were down again—less than half a million—but it still hit #1, though no singles charted high.
The Owl (2019) followed the same pattern: new label, fewer sales, no big tunes, but another #1 album. In fact, every Zac Brown Band album since The Foundation had gone to #1—until The Comeback (2021), which broke the streak but gave them a #1 single with Same Boat.
As we all waited in anticipation for Zac’s next new label and inevitable #1, my guess was something to do with chickens. I was wrong.
In 2023, Zac Brown Band released a cover of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. As surprising as this may sound, the band is no stranger to covers—they’ve also tackled Into The Mystic (Van Morrison), Let’s Go Crazy (Prince), Piano Man (Billy Joel), Kashmir (Led Zeppelin), and The Devil Went Down To Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Bands).
Zac Brown Band Tunes | Related Pages
Chicken Fried | Chords + TAB
You can learn to play Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown band using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | G | D | D |
You know I like my chicken fried, a cold beer on a Friday night…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia | Chords + TAB
Learn to play The Devil Went Down To Georgia by Charlie Daniels Band using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Dm (hold) | Dm (hold) |
The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin’ for a soul to steal…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: The Devil Went Down To Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Into The Mystic | Chords + TAB
You can learn to play Into The Mystic by Van Morrison using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| C (Csus2) | C (Csus2) | C (Csus2) | C (Csus2) |
We were born before the wind. Also younger than the sun…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Into The Mystic (Van Morrison) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Zac Brown Band on the web
