Interview with Country & Americana Artist Zach Stich

MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.

What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?

• Zach Stich: Well, thank y’all for doing the interview. To answer the question, my brother Adam got a guitar when I was a kid. And I wanted to be like him. So when I was old enough I started playing the guitar he left behind a little when I was around 14 or so. I’d only once or twice tried to write a song. Last year my sister in law Ashley passed away from really aggressive Breast Cancer and that sort of inspired me to take music more seriously and I started writing my own and taking my idea of being a musician more seriously.

MuzicNotez: Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?

• Zach Stich: Today I would say my biggest influences these days are Willie Nelson, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, the Avett Brothers, Hayes Carll, and Roger Miller. When I was growing up I listened to a lot of Barenaked Ladies. They were probably my favorite band. I just loved how they could inject humor into their songs without being novelty songs. That’s something I appreciate about most of the people on the list of influences. John Prine was the master at that.

MuzicNotez: What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?

• Zach Stich: I’d love to get to where I am doing music full time. Touring small clubs and venues around the south. I don’t need fame and fortune. I just want to make people smile with my music. I want people to hear my music either in person or through a streaming service or whatever and for it to make their day a little bit better.

MuzicNotez: What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?

• Zach Stich: Last Year I went to the Outlaw Country Music Festival where Billy Strings opened for Jason Isbell and the 400 unit and they opened for Willie Nelson and Family. That was pretty great. A few years ago my brothers and I surprised my dad and took him to the Paul Simon farewell tour. That was incredibly special to share that memory with them.

MuzicNotez: Your music breaks music boundaries, having a country back bone, but comedic elements and even breaks into hip hop at times. How would you describe your sound?

• Zach Stich: Well, I only really do country versions of hip hop covers. I’ve never written any hip hop. I do love really lyrically clever hip hop though. Rappers like Eminem or Big Pun especially. I would describe my sound as more country singer songwriter. Most of what I write has a country bend. My friend Matt Arnett described my music as “Country But Smart”.

MuzicNotez: Your latest track, is a Christmas song unlike any other, called ‘Mrs Claus’. How would you describe this song?

• Zach Stich: I am so in love with Mrs Claus. I mean that’s kind of the point of this song, but also I’m in love with the song. I wanted this song to have a sort of western rowdy energy to it with a live band kinda sound that you might hear at Billy Bob’s or something you know? When I wrote this song it was around mid December of 2022. I was thinking about movies where Santa has to find a wife like the Santa Clause 2 or Hallmark movies that have that plot. And I got to thinking what it would be like to be married to Santa and it didn’t sound so great and I thought Mrs Claus probably is a sweet woman who is underappreciated and she just needs to be given the love she deserves. Instead of Santa. He’s so preoccupied making every kid in the world happy, he hasn’t made her happy. And she’s looking for that happiness and I’m just the guy to make her happy. Well I guess that’s the story of the song. I would describe it as a fun country song that’ll make you laugh and will be fun to listen to while you decorate the tree or wrap presents.

MuzicNotez: Before this, you released your debut EP ‘Towards the Storm’. It’s a big deal releasing your debut, what did this mean to you?

• Zach Stich: Towards the storm was such a huge deal to me. I wrote 3 of the 5 tracks on the EP. I recorded it all myself and had an engineer in Oregon mix and master them. It was a big deal because I had no idea what I was doing really when it came to recording. I was so proud of those tracks then, and now I’m ready to rerecord them with a band. I did Mrs Claus with a virtual studio called Rhynestone Productions and I cant recommend them enough. It was a great collaborative experience and a great learning experience since I didn’t know much about what the process was like. Towards the Storm comes from buffalo (bison). Other animals when a storm is coming try to out run the storm. Buffalo run towards the storm to face it head on. And that was really the story of my recording it. Instead of being afraid of all the things I didn’t know how to do or being overwhelmed I just pushed into the storm. I am really proud of those songs on the EP.

MuzicNotez: What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

• Zach Stich: 2024 I think is just full of potential for me. I’m really hoping to gain more fans and have more people discover me and my music. I’m already in the planning stages of doing a couple of more songs with Rhynestone Productions. I am playing an undiscovered artist showcase at the beginning of January. This year my goal was to play 50 gigs. In 2024 I want to play 75 gigs including some singer songwriter festivals and other festivals around the south.

MuzicNotez: Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?

• Zach Stich: I am so thankful that you have taken the time to listen to my music. I am new to the music scene and I’m hoping Mrs Claus helps me to make a splash. I am so thankful for this gift of music and that some people think enough of my music that they would listen to it. If you aren’t my fan yet, give Mrs Claus a listen,and follow me on social media if you like what you hear. If you are my fan, thanks for taking the time to read this and for your constant support. Your support means so much to me.

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