Interview with Zach Hart by Brandi Ellison (2019)

Brandi Ellison: First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Zac Hart: I’m a junior. And I major in marketing with a concentration in the music industry.

B: Your work has an almost folksy kind of feel to it. Can you talk a bit about what has inspired you?
Z: I’ve always loved music. I started performing professionally when I was 10 and started taking writing seriously when I was 12 or 13. But I think for me, I had a cousin who was in a bluegrass gospel band when I was younger, and that’s what really motivated me and made me realize I wanted to make music in front of people. I grew up singing mostly Gospel and traditional Country music. Now, I would say I’m inspired and influenced by a lot of different artists and genres pop, rock, etc. And I’m always up for playing around with different genres when I write or play music by other artists. But I feel like my roots will always be in that traditional/old school country and gospel music that I grew up listening to.

B: Your music was featured on a CMA special on ABC. Can you tell us a bit more about that experience, and what it meant to you?
Z: That was great. I was flown to New York and got to perform on the Katie Couric Show. I was 15 at the time, so the pressure was up. But it wasn’t live, so I got to watch when it aired a few weeks later, which was cool to get to take in an experience like that. The episode focused on the CMA awards for that year and on the new artists, as well. I was happy I got to be a part of something like that when I was 15. It was an educational opportunity, as well.

B: It sounds like it was a valuable experience. While we’re on the subject, can you tell us a bit more about the wider ambitions you have with your music?
Z: I am going to graduate in May 2020 with a BA in Marketing and a concentration in the music industry. This summer I will be working in Nashville as a marketing intern and spending a lot of time working on my own artistry. I’ll also keep doing shows and festivals throughout the summer, traveling, playing for new groups of people, that’s for sure. I’m currently working with a lot of great writers and producers. Anthony Smith is one of my co-writers that I really look up to, great guy with some pretty impressive work under his belt that I’ve always been inspired by. He’s one of the best in the business, and he’s teaching me a lot. We’ve got some really awesome stuff in the works right now, so I’m excited for the day that people finally get to hear it.

B: Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Anyone who is interested in seeing some of Zach’s music can visit his website at https://zachartmusic.webs.com/.