The Zac Brown Band (Photo: CJ Hicks)The Zac Brown Band have a lot of things to celebrate at the end of 2012--including yet another Grammy nomination to add to their considerable collection of accolades--but one event that the band participated in stands out as a way to really end the year with a bang.
When Ram Trucks launched an all-star country music series, "The Road To Ram Jam," early in the year, the concept was simple. Bring fans closer to artists they love by offering exclusive content--as well a special grand sweepstakes prize: The chance to win passes to an amazing invite-only show at the end of the year. The Zac Brown Band was one of five artists selected for the Ram Jam (along with Kellie Pickler, Brantley Gilbert, Easton Corbin, and Billy Currington) and we had the chance to catch up with them pre-show on December 29 to get their thoughts on being part of the fun.
One of the super cool perks of being a Ram Jam artist was getting to lease a Ram truck for a year--all the vehicles will be auctioned off in early 2013, with proceeds going to the charity of the artists' choice. "I think my favorite part about participating in Ram Jam was getting to drive that truck," Zac Brown admitted. "Honestly, it's a really nice truck!"
Also really nice is the foundation the band chose to benefit from the truck's auction: Camp Southern Ground, which former camp counselor Brown started to encourage kids with special needs and differing abilities. "We're excited for whoever gets to buy [our truck]--all the money goes to a great cause," Brown affirmed. "It's a great program."
After the big show and the auction, the guys will be turning their thoughts to 2013 and a large slate of activities and plans. When asked what their New Year's resolutions are, the band all laughed and joked "Get skinny," but quickly got serious. "Practice more, get better at our instruments and our craft, and have some new stuff."
"I want all our fans who came to see our show last year to come see a different one this year. Engage them in something that's us, but exciting to watch," Brown noted, adding, "We've got a lot going on this next year. We're excited about our new production, putting together a new live show, recording a double-live acoustic CD and working on our new studio that's here in Nashville, Southern Ground.
The band's live show is a clear focus, but Brown is clearly excited about his label, which is home to a hand-picked roster of talent including Blackberry Smoke, Levi Lowery, and Sonia Leigh. "There's a lot of great music to come out of Southern Ground, this is a big year," Brown assured fans.
Be sure to stream the Ram Jam concert live on Ram Country starting at 5 p.m. ET--just visit here to join the fun!