Zach and Colton Swon remember their first performance in Nashville like it was yesterday. It wasn’t in a packed house during a writers’ night on a dimly-lit stage, or in the office of a publisher who was eager to hear their latest songs. It was actually a “pit stop” on the way to a family vacation in Florida. Of course, they were only 9 and 11 years old at the time, but to them, it was perfectly normal. After all, they’d practically grown up riding their parents’ tour bus and performing as part of their family’s gospel group since they were old enough to talk. So stopping off in Nashville to pick up a record deal on their way to summer vacation just seemed logical to young Zach and his little brother Colton. And… their parents weren’t about to dampen the spirits of their talented and determined young sons.
The guys didn’t land a record deal the day they sheepishly walked into the lobby of a certain major record label and asked the receptionist if they could please sing for someone, but they did make such an impression on the president of the label that the three struck up a professional relationship. That single-mindedness of purpose and laser-focused determination to make their music the best it can possibly be has never wavered for either of these hardworking Oklahoma boys, who are poised and ready to share their own unique brand of heartfelt country music with the world.
There really must be something in the water in certain parts of Oklahoma. The state has produced more country greats per capita than probably anywhere else on earth -- Reba, Blake, Vince, Garth, Toby, Carrie - all hail from the same state where the Swon Brothers spent their formative years growing up. In fact, Zach and Colton grew up right down the street from American Idol- champ-turned-country-superstar Carrie Underwood, and the three shared a stage many times together throughout their childhood years. Traveling with their parents’ southern gospel group Exodus, the boys were singing and writing songs practically as soon as they could walk. And it was a way of life they quickly grew to love.
“We traveled with our parents every weekend playing churches. Our parents were offered record deals here and there,” recalls Zach. “But the most important thing to them was keeping the family and the band together. So ever since we were babies we’ve been on the bus, hearing music and watching live musicians. It’s definitely what got us turned on to music. I played instruments earlier on than Colton, he was more the singer and stage performer. I started out on drums at age three, and by the time I was 9 or 10 I was playing drums for my parents’ band.”
Already a natural before he was even a pre-teen, Zach found the place he was most at home was onstage in front of a crowd, and he picked up plenty of skills learning from the musicians that constantly surrounded him. “I’ve always said I’m more comfortable onstage than I am in a group meeting new people out in a social environment I guess,” admits Zach. “I just like being onstage. I just feel more myself I think. One of my best memories during those years was playing with Kenny Hinson. He’s kind of the Garth of gospel music, and he’s probably my favorite singer of all time. Unfortunately he passed away from cancer…I think he would have been amazing, but one of the coolest things that ever happened to me was we were doing a show with the Hinsons. It was one of the biggest crowds I’d ever played for, and the coolest thing was when he came out and sang with my parents on a song. I was 10 or 11, and it was so great!”
After leaving the road, their parents formed a family-style variety show back in Oklahoma in a nearby town, Wagoner, OK and soon Zach and Colton were charming crowds each week and cutting their musical teeth on everything from Elvis to Frank Sinatra.
“That was a little different setting, but that’s where I came out of my shell onstage and really began performing,” says Colton. “We had to learn everything from Sinatra to Michael Jackson in the show… even a Grease song, but of course, Country was our favorite music! We both had solo spots in the show where was sang. Zach loved Elvis, so he actually dressed up in a suit and wig and did an Elvis impersonation during the show.”
“And Colton came out with the top hat and sang a Frank Sinatra song,” adds Zach. “I enjoyed singing back then but I was more into playing. I feel really blessed to be a musician because I’ve never taken a lesson on any instrument. Drums, I just picked up naturally, and I got a chance to watch a lot of good players throughout the years with my parents, and they all showed me stuff. It was at the show in Waggoner where I picked up piano and guitar at the same time.”
The Swons show at the Civic Center in Wagoner became very popular and soon they were filling the building to capacity as fans packed in week after week to watch them entertain. After building quite a following, Zach and Colton decided to begin playing as a duo and focused even more on their songwriting. Both have been writing since they were very young and now they return to Nashville on a regular basis to co-write. They actually have their first trip to Music City documented on tape -- not that they could ever forget that fateful day when they first became hopelessly enchanted with Nashville and its country music scene.
“Our parents drove us around to every label in town that day,” recalls Zach. “They knew it wasn’t gonna happen, but they filmed it and watched us walk in and walk right back out, and they’re actually laughing at us on camera -- you can see the camera start shaking because they’re laughing so hard at us walking out with our guitars, you know. And we’re seriously disappointed because we thought that’s how you do it… you just walk in, sing good and a get a record deal,” laughs Zach.
“We finally made our last stop. We had gotten kicked out of so many labels and it was so disappointing. It’s hard for me to take no for an answer,” adds Colton, “so of course that final label said no and we got back in the car. That was our last stop before Florida so my dad said, ‘If you really want to sing for somebody, just go in there and sing for the receptionist…I bet you won’t.’ And that was the wrong thing to say to me! I took it as a challenge! So Zach stayed in the car and I went in, I couldn’t even see over the counter, I was probably 8 or 9 years old, and I was a little guy anyway. I said to the receptionist, ‘Look, we’re really tired of getting told no…could we please sing for you?’ So she said, ‘Sure, it won’t get you anywhere, but you can sing for me.’ So I went out and got my brother, who was hiding in the car. We both went back in and started singing an Everly Brothers song. While we were singing for the receptionist, the president of the label came down the staircase in the lobby from a meeting and stopped to listen to us. He told us to keep up the good work and then gave us a tour of the record label and some free CDs. He’s been a good friend ever since.
The Swons are currently on NBC’ “The Voice” and are Team Shelton, with fellow “Okie” Blake Shelton as their coach and they are looking forward to the future.
Before coming to “The Voice,” Zach and Colton have spent the subsequent few years performing around their home state and releasing their CDs on their own label which have been well-received among their ever-growing fan base. Songs like the irresistibly catchy “Oklahoma Lovin’” and the bluesy, soulful, “This Close To Gone,” not only show off their diverse vocal strengths, but also their ability to pen gripping lyrics that resonate with audiences from young to old. Their strong brotherly bond is undeniable in their performances as they good-naturedly rib and tease each other onstage and trade off on tunes. Their sheer talent shines through as they launch into their tight-knit, seamless harmonies. It’s evident when you watch them perform that music is not only in their blood, it’s in their hearts as well…
Playlist
01 - Swon Brothers - American Girl + Intro
02 - Swon Brothers & Christian Porter - I Won't Back Down
03 - Swon Brothers - Drift Away
04 - Swon Brothers - Fishin' In The Dark
05 - Swon Brothers - Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes
06 - Swon Brothers - How Country Feels
07 - Swon Brothers - Seven Bridges Road
08 - Swon Brothers - Wagon Wheel
09 - Swon Brothers - Okee From Muskogee
10 - Swon Brothers - Turn The Page
11 - Swon Brothers - Danny's Song
12 - Swon Brothers - I Can't Tell You Why
13 - Swon Brothers & Blake Shelton - Celebrity
14 - Swon Brothers, Justin Rivers, Holly Tucker & Amber Carrington - Stars Tonight
15 - Swon Brothers & Bob Seger - Night Moves
