Zach Williams (musician)

Zachary Stephen Williams (born March 5, 1981) 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 solo.

Zach Williams
Background information
Birth nameZachary Stephen Williams
Born (1981-03-05) March 5, 1981
Pensacola, Florida
OriginJonesboro, Arkansas
Genres
Years active2007 (2007)–present
LabelsEssential
Associated actsZach Williams & The Reformation
Websitezachwilliamsmusic.com

Beginnings

Zachary Stephen Williams was born in Pensacola, Florida on March 5, 1981 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. Williams also formerly led worship at the Refuge Campus of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he was on staff from 2014–2017.[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.

Discography

Albums

As Zach Williams & The Reformation

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

Solo

Title Album details Peak chart positions
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, Digital download, streaming
 111
[13]		 2 5 — 21

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
[14]
Chain Breaker — 20 23 11 —
Survivor: Live from Harding Prison
  • Released: September 14, 2018[15]
  • Label: Provident
  • Format: Digital download
 —[upper-alpha 1] 26 —[upper-alpha 2] — —[upper-alpha 3]

As lead artist
List of singles, with year, album, and selected chart positions
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Bub.
[18]		 US
Rock
[19]		 US
Christ
[20]		 US
Christ Airplay
[21]		 US
Christ AC
[22]		 US
Christ Digital
[23]
2016 "Chain Breaker" — 9 1
[24]		 1 1 1 Chain Breaker
2017 "Old Church Choir" — 7 1 1
[26]		 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 non-album single
"Go Tell It on the Mountain" — — 17 3 2 — non-album single
"Rattle!"
(with Essential Worship featuring Steven Furtick)		 — — 46 — — — non-album single
2021 "Rise Up (Lazarus)"
(with Cain)		 — — — — — — non-album single
"Less Like Me" — — 20 17 29 3 Rescue Story

Promotional singles
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Rock
[19]		 US
Christ
[20]		 US
Christ Digital
[23]
2019 "Walk With You" — 35 — Rescue Story
"Heaven Help Me"[27] — 40 —
Title Year Peak chart positions
US
Christ
[20]		 US
Christ Airplay
[21]
"The First Christmas"
(Tenth Avenue North featuring Zach Williams)		 2017 35 20

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

Awards and Nominations

Billboard Music Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 Zach Williams Top Christian Artist Nominated
"Old Church Choir" Top Christian Song Nominated
2019[28] Zach Williams Top Christian Artist Nominated

Grammy Awards
Year Award Result
2018 Best Contemporary Christian Music Album ("Chain Breaker") Won

GMA Dove Awards
Year Award Result
2017 New Artist of the Year Won
Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year ("Chain Breaker") Nominated
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Chain Breaker") Won*
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (Chain Breaker) Nominated
2019 Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Long Form Video of the Year (Survivor: Live From Harding Prison) Nominated
2020 Song of the Year ("Rescue Story") Nominated
Songwriter of the Year (Artist) Won
Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year Nominated
Artist of the Year Nominated
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (Rescue Story) Nominated
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year (Rescue Story) Won

Notes
  1. Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 96 on the Top Current Albums chart.[16]
  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.[17]
  3. Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Rock Albums chart, but peaked at No. 34 on the Rock Album Sales chart.[14]

References
  1. Broadcast Music, Inc. "Songwriter/Composer: Williams Zachary Stephen". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Zach Williams : Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  3. "Provident Label Group, Essential Records Sign Zach Williams". MusicRow.com.
  4. "From Mainstream Rock To Gospel: Zach Williams Comes Clean With New Single, Chain Breaker". Breathecast.com.
  5. "Zach Williams Chart History". Billboard.
  6. "Zach Williams: Rocker With Religion". KAIT 8.
  7. "Surprise! Grammy Nominated Zach Williams Drops New Album".
  8. "Zach Williams Chart History — Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  9. "Zach Williams Chart History — Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  10. "Zach Williams Chart History — Americana/Folk Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  11. "Zach Williams Chart History — Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  12. "Zach Williams Chart History – Top Rock Albums". 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. "Zach Williams Chart History – Rock Album Sales". Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  15. "Survivor: Live From Harding Prison – EP by Zach Williams on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  16. "Zach Williams Chart History – Top Album Sales". Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  17. "Zach Williams Chart History – Americana/Folk Album Sales". Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  18. "Zach Williams Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  19. "Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  20. "Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Christian Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  21. "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  22. "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian AC Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  23. "Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  24. "Zach Williams' "Chain Breaker" Music Video Explodes; Single Stays No. 1 For 3rd Week!". ZachWilliamsMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  25. "American certifications – Zach Williams". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  26. "Zach Williams "Old Church Choir" Ties Record On Billboard's Christian Airplay". TheChristianBeat. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  27. "New Song, Lyric Video Out Today from Zach Williams". Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  28. Warner, Denise. "Cardi B Leads 2019 Billboard Music Awards Nominations With 21". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
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