Zach Williams (musician)

Zachary Stephen Williams (born June 27, 1978) is an American Christian rock artist from Bono, Arkansas. From 2007 through 2012 he was a member and lead vocalist of Zach Williams & The Reformation (also acoustic guitar and harmonica). 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 onto a solo career.

Zach Williams
Background information
Birth name	Zachary Stephen Williams
Born	(1978-06-27) June 27, 1978 (age 47) Pensacola, Florida
Origin	Bono, Arkansas
Genres	Christian rock Southern rock Christian pop worship Southern Gospel
Years active	2007 (2007)–present
Labels	Essential
Formerly of	Zach Williams & The Reformation
Website	zachwilliamsmusic.com

Beginnings

Zachary Stephen Williams was born in Pensacola, Florida on June 27, 1978 but grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas.^[1]

Music career

Zach Williams & The Reformation

He was the lead singer in Zach Williams & The Reformation,^[2] 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 Provident Label Group - Essential Records as a solo artist,^[3] four years after Zach Williams & The Reformation disbanded. He released his first solo single, "Chain Breaker" in 2016^[4] which reached No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs Chart and the Top 10 on Christian radio.^[5] Following the single, Williams released a five-song EP, Chain Breaker, with producers Jonathan Smith and Colby Wedgeworth.^[6] Williams also formerly led worship at the Refuge Campus of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he was on staff from 2014 to 2017.^[7]

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.^[8]

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.^[relevant?]

Discography

Albums

As Zach Williams & The Reformation

• Electric Revival (independent, 2009)
• A Southern Offering (independent, 2011)

Solo

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions				Certifications
		US [9]	US Christ [10]	US Folk [11]	US Rock [12]
Chain Breaker	Released: December 14, 2016 Label: Essential Formats: DL, CD	174	2	4	28	RIAA: Gold[13]
Rescue Story	Released: October 4, 2019 Label: Essential Formats: CD, DL, streaming	111	2	5	21	RIAA: Gold[13]
A Hundred Highways	Released: September 30, 2022 Label: Essential Formats: CD, DL, streaming	—[A]	2	9	—
Jesus Loves	Released: September 19, 2025 Label: Essential Formats: CD, DL, streaming	To be released

Holiday albums

List of holiday albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US Christ. [10]	US Holiday [14]
I Don't Want Christmas to End	Released: October 22, 2021 Label: Provident/Sony Format: CD, digital download	46	11

EPs

As Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace

• Shine a Light EP (2014)

Solo

List of EPs, with selected chart positions

Title	EP details	Peak chart positions
		US	US Christ [10]	US Folk [11]	US Rock [15]
Chain Breaker	Released: September 23, 2016 Label: Essential Formats: CD, digital download	—[B]	20	23	—
Survivor: Live from Harding Prison	Released: September 14, 2018[16] Label: Provident Format: Digital download	—[C]	26	—[D]	34[E]

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles, with year, album, and selected chart positions

Year	Title	Peak chart positions						Certifications	Album
		US Bub. [19]	US Rock [20]	US Christ [21]	US Christ Airplay [22]	US Christ AC [23]	US Christ Digital [24]
2016	"Chain Breaker"	—	9	1 [25]	1	1	1	RIAA: Platinum[13]	Chain Breaker
2017	"Old Church Choir"	—	7	1	1 [26]	1	1	RIAA: Platinum[13]
2018	"Fear Is a Liar"	—	—	3	3	2	3	RIAA: Platinum[13]
	"Survivor"	—	—	11	3	4	—
2019	"Rescue Story"	—	—	5	2	2	6	RIAA: Gold[13]	Rescue Story
	"There Was Jesus" (featuring Dolly Parton)	8	—	2	1	1	1	RIAA: Platinum[13]
2020	"Empty Grave"	—	—	41	—	—	19		Rescue Story (Deluxe Edition)
	"Go Tell It on the Mountain"	—	—	17	3	2	—		Non-album single
2021	"Less Like Me"	25	—	4	1 [27]	1	3	RIAA: Gold[13]	Rescue Story
	"Heaven Help Me"[F]	—	23	15	10	11	19
	"I Don't Want Christmas to End"	—	—	—	18	10	—		I Don't Want Christmas to End
2022	"Heart of God"	—	26	6	11	8	1		A Hundred Highways
	"Big Tent Revival"	—	—	47	—	—	—
	"Looking for You"	—	—	25	30	—	7
2023	"Sunday's Comin"	—	—	29	17	16	—
2024	"Friend in High Places"	—	—	18	—	—	—		Jesus Loves
2025	"Jesus Loves"	—	48	11	7	6	—

As featured artist

Year	Title	Peak chart positions		Album
		US Christ [21]	US Christ Airplay [22]
2017	"The First Christmas" (Tenth Avenue North featuring Zach Williams)	35	20	Decade the Halls, Vol. 1
2020	"Rattle!" (Essential Worship featuring Zach Williams and Steven Furtick)	46	—	Non-album singles
2021	"Rise Up (Lazarus)" (Cain featuring Zach Williams)	—	—
2023	"Cornerstone" (TobyMac featuring Zach Williams)	2	1	Life After Death
2025	"Get Behind Me" (with Emerson Day)	—	—	Non-album single
	"Stranger No More" (with Big Daddy Weave)	—	—	Let It Begin

Promotional singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions	Album
		US Christ [21]
2019	"Walk with You"	35	Rescue Story

Other charted songs

List of charting songs, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
		US Christ [21]	US Christ Airplay [22]	US Christ AC [23]
"The Call of Christmas"	2017	49	31	6	WOW Christmas

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[28]	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

• * Was a joint win alongside Ryan Stevenson's "Eye of the Storm".

Notes

1. A Hundred Highways did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.
2. Chainbreaker did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
3. Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 96 on the Top Current Albums chart.^[17]
4. 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.^[18]
5. Survivor: Live from Harding Prison did not enter the Rock Albums chart, but peaked at No. 34 on the Rock Album Sales chart.^[15]
6. "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.