Music is a sacred art to singer-songwriter Zach Gump. The musician has performed on hundreds of stages for over a decade with multiple bands, while writing and recording numerous albums. He says of music, "There is nothing closer to the spirit of God than a perfect melody." To Zach music is a fluid and infinite mesh of passionate self expression and skill.
Like many musicians, Gump has found himself in several bands all achieving various levels of success. The list begins with Pennyfield, The Sellouts, the regionally succesful B-Side Folk Union to the re-tooled and renamed B-Side, and Boom Kinetic. Gump's bands have released several albums starting in 1996 with Pennyfeild's "Maganzer Mountain" and culminating with his first solo project in 2008 "The Well Runs Dry". Zach will be releasing his second LP in January of 2009, entitled "Pieces", the disc will be an arrangement of soul melodies, laid over a musically vintage landscape. This is where Zach finds his pocket for vocal expression, possibly, The Arkansas Traveler said it best, "Zach sings with a passion and a harmony that cannot be matched."
Gump's passionate about creating music. He says, "Music is created in the soul. It comes out through the heart on the piano or guitar or on a notepad. The singer/songwriter says, "Music/art is the truest form of self expression. When I'm creating, it's a part of me and an extension of me, my thoughts and feelings. If I feel sad, then that's what comes out on the notepad or on the guitar." Gumps says the process is more than just notes, beats, pitches, math, and science. He says, "You've got to try to seek balance between the cerebral, mathematical, theoretical part of music and the ethereal, emotional part. It's a hard task." Zach has recently signed on with Dave Wilson Productions in Nashville, TN as a songwriter. Given his extensive background and songwriters credit on 10 albums, it seems this is right where he belongs. He says, "most bands and artists have a wide array of lyrics on an even wider array of music. My goal is to focus that potential on a specific sound, and then bring the songs lyrically to where they can shine in todays mainstream market".
However, Zachs biggest asset might quite possible be his outlook to his music and writing, he says "I am saddened at where the music has come. It seems people just want fame. I feel that this is a cancer in our society that is crippling our youth, teaching them to dream as opposed to work. I am honored when one person appreciates a song, it doesnt take a million dollars or a million album sales to be happy. Those things are nice, but you have to know who you are, and whose you are."
