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Zachary Stephen Williams (born June 27, 1978) is an American Christian rock singer-songwriter from Bono, Arkansas. From 2007 through 2012 he was lead vocalist and played acoustic guitar and harmonica for Zach Williams & The Reformation. 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 on to a solo career.
Beginnings
Zachary Stephen Williams was born in Pensacola, Florida, on June 27, 1978, but grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Music career
Zach Williams & The Reformation
Williams was the lead singer in Zach Williams & The Reformation, 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, Central Baptist in Jonesboro, Arkansas. 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 Sony Music‘s Provident Label Group – Essential Records as a solo artist, four years after Zach Williams & The Reformation disbanded, and released his first solo single, “Chain Breaker”, which reached No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs Chart and the Top 10 on Christian radio. Following the single, Williams released a five-song EP, Chain Breaker, with producers Jonathan Smith and Colby Wedgeworth. Williams also led worship at the Refuge Campus of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he was on staff from 2014 to 2017.
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.
On October 4, 2019, Williams released his second album, Rescue Story. It includes the single “There Was Jesus“, with Dolly Parton.
On September 30, 2022, Williams released his third album, A Hundred Highways. It includes the single “Heart of God”. His song “Up There, Down Here”, from the same album, was covered by contestant Warren Peay on season 21 of American Idol.
Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Zach Williams | Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational | Nominated |
| 2021 | Zach Williams | Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational | Nominated |
Billboard Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Zach Williams | Top Christian Artist | Nominated |
| “Old Church Choir” | Top Christian Song | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Zach Williams | Top Christian Artist | Nominated |
| 2021 | Zach Williams | Top Christian Artist | Nominated |
| Rescue Story | Top Christian Album | Nominated | |
| “There Was Jesus” (with Dolly Parton) |
Top Christian Song | Nominated |
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | “Chain Breaker” | Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Nominated |
| 2018 | Chain Breaker | Best Contemporary Christian Music Album | Won |
| 2019 | Survivor: Live From Harding Prison | Best Contemporary Christian Music Album | Nominated |
| 2020 | “Rescue Story” | Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Nominated |
| 2021 | “There Was Jesus“ (featuring Dolly Parton) |
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Won |
GMA Dove Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Zach Williams | New Artist of the Year | Won |
| Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| “Chain Breaker” | Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year | Won* | ||
| Chain Breaker | Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Zach Williams | Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Survivor: Live From Harding Prison | Long Form Video of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2020 | “Rescue Story” | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| Zach Williams | Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Rescue Story | Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Recorded Music Packaging of the Year | Won | ||
| 2021 | “There Was Jesus” | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| Zach Williams | Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| “Stand My Ground” | Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| “There Was Jesus” (featuring Dolly Parton) |
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Zach Williams | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
We Love Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | “Jesus Loves” | Song of the Year | Won | |
| Contemporary Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
| “Still” (with Crowder) |
Collaboration of the Year | Nominated |
- * Was a joint win alongside Ryan Stevenson‘s “Eye of the Storm”.
Discography
Albums
Chain Breaker
- Released: December 14, 2016
- Label: Essential
- Formats: DL, CD
Rescue Story
- Released: October 4, 2019
- Label: Essential
- Formats: CD, DL, streaming
A Hundred Highways
- Released: September 30, 2022
- Label: Essential
- Formats: CD, DL, streaming
Jesus Loves
- Released: September 19, 2025
- Label: Essential
- Formats: CD, DL, streaming
I Don’t Want Christmas to End
- Released: October 22, 2021
- Label: Provident/Sony
- Format: CD, digital download
EPs
Chain Breaker
- Released: September 23, 2016
- Label: Essential
- Formats: CD, digital download
Survivor: Live from Harding Prison
- Released: September 14, 2018
- Label: Provident
- Format: Digital download
Other releases
Chain Breaker
Old Church Choir
Fear Is a Liar
“Survivor”
“Rescue Story”
There Was Jesus
“Empty Grave”
Go Tell It on the Mountain
“Less Like Me”
“Heaven Help Me”
“I Don’t Want Christmas to End”
“Heart of God”
“Big Tent Revival”
“Looking for You”
“Sunday’s Comin”
“Friend in High Places”
“Jesus Loves”
“If God Lives Here”
Ben Fuller
Tenth Avenue North
Rattle!
Rise Up (Lazarus)
TobyMac
“Get Behind Me”(with Emerson Day)
Big Daddy Weave
“Walk with You”
“The Call of Christmas”
More bands like this
External links
References
- ^ A Hundred Highways did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.
- ^ Jesus Loves did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales
- ^ Chainbreaker did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
- ^ Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 96 on the Top Current Albums chart.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Rock Albums chart, but peaked at No. 34 on the Rock Album Sales chart.
- ^ “Heaven Help Me” was released as a promotional single in 2019, prior to Rescue Story‘s release. It was not released as a radio single until 2021.
- ^ Broadcast Music, Inc. “Songwriter/Composer: Williams Zachary Stephen”. Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. “Zach Williams : Biography”. AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ^ “Provident Label Group, Essential Records Sign Zach Williams”. MusicRow.com. May 3, 2016.
- ^ “From Mainstream Rock To Gospel: Zach Williams Comes Clean With New Single, Chain Breaker”. Breathecast.com. May 5, 2016.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History”. Billboard.
- ^ “Chain Breaker EP by Zach Williams – CD Reviews And Information – NewReleaseToday”. NewReleaseToday. September 23, 2016.
- ^ “Zach Williams: Rocker With Religion”. KAIT 8. May 3, 2016.
- ^ “JFH News: SURPRISE! GRAMMY NOMINATED ZACH WILLIAMS DROPS NEW ALBUM”. www.jesusfreakhideout.com.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History — Billboard 200”. Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c “Zach Williams Chart History — Christian Albums”. Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b “Zach Williams Chart History — Americana/Folk Albums”. Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History – Top Rock Albums”. Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i “American certifications – Zach Williams”. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
- ^ “Zach Williams Album & Song Chart History (Holiday Albums)”. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
- ^ a b “Zach Williams Chart History – Rock Album Sales”. Billboard. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ “Survivor: Live From Harding Prison – EP by Zach Williams on Apple Music”. Apple Music. September 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History – Top Album Sales”. Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History – Americana/Folk Album Sales”. Billboard. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100”. Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Rock Songs”. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c d “Zach Williams Chart History: Hot Christian Songs”. Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
- ^ a b c “Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Airplay”. Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
- ^ a b “Zach Williams Chart History: Christian AC Songs”. Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
- ^ “Zach Williams Chart History: Christian Digital Songs”. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Warner, Denise. “Cardi B Leads 2019 Billboard Music Awards Nominations With 21”. Billboard.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ “We Love Christian Music Awards – Nominees”. We Love Awards. New Release Today. January 5, 2026. Archived from the original on March 12, 2026. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
Source: Wikipedia