Free (Zac Brown Band song)
Encyclopedia
"Free" is the title of a song recorded by American country music
group Zac Brown Band
for their 2008 album The Foundation
. On April 12, 2010, it was released as the fifth and final single from the album. It debuted on the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
charts at #54 for the week of May 1, 2010. The song was nominated for the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the Best Country Song at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
in May 2010. The performance was taken from the band's Pass The Jar
DVD, and features a guest appearance by Joey + Rory
. A video for the studio version was released on May 28, 2010. Both videos were directed by Darren Doane
. An alternate music video was released as a tribute to the United States military fighting in the Middle East. The video contains video of Zac Brown Band visiting troops on their USO tour, socializing with the troops, and performing a concert for the troops. The song itself is heard as a soundtrack to the video. The concert in the video, given by Zac Brown Band, is never heard, just depicted.
Mark Deming of Allmusic, in his review of the album, stated that the song, as well as "Highway 20 Ride," "show the influence of the more sentimental branches of the Texas singer-songwriter tradition."
charts, having peaked on the chart dated for the week ending August 21, 2010. Its peak makes Zac Brown Band the first country music act to have four Number One singles from a debut album since Brooks & Dunn
's Brand New Man
produced four Number Ones between 1991 and 1992.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
group Zac Brown Band
Zac Brown Band
Zac Brown Band is an American country music, southern rock, and folk band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown , Jimmy De Martini , John Driskell Hopkins , Coy Bowles , Chris Fryar and Clay Cook...
for their 2008 album The Foundation
The Foundation (Zac Brown Band album)
The Foundation is the first major-label studio album by the Zac Brown Band, an American country music band. It was released on November 18, 2008. Originally slated for release on the Home Grown label and Big Picture Records, the album is distributed by Atlantic Nashville in association with those...
. On April 12, 2010, it was released as the fifth and final single from the album. It debuted on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts at #54 for the week of May 1, 2010. The song was nominated for the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the Best Country Song at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Music video
A live performance music video was released to CMTCountry Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
in May 2010. The performance was taken from the band's Pass The Jar
Pass The Jar: Zac Brown Band and Friends Live from the Fabulous Fox Theatre In Atlanta
Pass the Jar: Zac Brown Band and Friends Live from the Fabulous Fox Theatre In Atlanta is the second live album by American country music band, Zac Brown Band. It was released on May 4, 2010...
DVD, and features a guest appearance by Joey + Rory
Joey + Rory
Joey+Rory is an American country music duo composed of singer-songwriters Rory Lee Feek and Joey Martin Feek, who are husband and wife. Joey is the duo's lead vocalist, while Rory sings background vocals and plays guitar. The duo was the third-place finalist on CMT's competition Can You Duet in 2008...
. A video for the studio version was released on May 28, 2010. Both videos were directed by Darren Doane
Darren Doane
Darren Doane is a Christian filmmaker and music video director. In 2007, Darren formed a new commercial, music video and branded content production company called LEVEL4 with Executive Producer Josh Karchmer...
. An alternate music video was released as a tribute to the United States military fighting in the Middle East. The video contains video of Zac Brown Band visiting troops on their USO tour, socializing with the troops, and performing a concert for the troops. The song itself is heard as a soundtrack to the video. The concert in the video, given by Zac Brown Band, is never heard, just depicted.
Critical reception
Kyle Ward of Roughstock gave the song a 4/5, saying that, although the song "get[s] a bit too repetitious," said the song's "acoustic arrangements d[id] a great job to highlight [Zac] Brown's voice on the verses."Mark Deming of Allmusic, in his review of the album, stated that the song, as well as "Highway 20 Ride," "show the influence of the more sentimental branches of the Texas singer-songwriter tradition."
Chart performance
"Free" is the fourth single from the band's debut album to reach Number One on the Hot Country SongsHot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts, having peaked on the chart dated for the week ending August 21, 2010. Its peak makes Zac Brown Band the first country music act to have four Number One singles from a debut album since Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
's Brand New Man
Brand New Man
Brand New Man is the debut album by country duo Brooks & Dunn. The album produced four consecutive Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in "Brand New Man", "Boot Scootin' Boogie", "My Next Broken Heart", and "Neon Moon"; in addition, "Lost and Found" was a #6...
produced four Number Ones between 1991 and 1992.
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
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