Zac Brown Band

By Micaela Hood 11/15/2010

Country crooner Zac Brown is looking forward to his mini-vacation. After months on the road, Brown and his bandmates are returning to Atlanta for the holidays.

But not before living it up on South Beach.

On Thursday, Nov. 18 the Zac Brown Band will headline the Coca-Cola NASCAR’S Ford Championship Drive concert, a free performance before Sunday’s big race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A diehard UFC and WFC fan, this frontman can’t wait to catch a few races.

“I don’t have time to immerse myself in sports since we perform in the afternoons and evenings,’’ he says. “But I appreciate NASCAR and the drivers. To be up close and on the track definitely changes your perspective.''

While in Miami, he also wants to embrace the culture and maybe try some new grub. A restaurateur and chef, Brown takes his food seriously.

“My whole family knows how to cook. They used to stuff things in jars and sell them. I had the best teachers.’’

It was Brown’s vision to start the Eat and Greets, a tailgate party held  before a ZBB concert where fans eat an authentic down home meal and mingle with the band. “There's no good food [at concerts.] They overcharge and it doesn’t come through.’’

Once their vacay is over, the band will start work on a new album. “It’s going to be a collaboration that will feature different artists including a hip-hop artist and an iconic musician.''

Kanye West on a Zac Brown album? Hmmm.  Although he wouldn't devulge which rapper he'll choose, the band's website says they're hoping to work with Atlanta artist Cee Lo.

After making tunes with heroes like Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson, Brown considers himself a lucky guy.

“This year has been so fast and so furious. But the amount of progress we’ve made is unbelievable.’’

And when it comes to good ole country tunes, he likes to keep it real.

“We write music that means something to us. It has substance behind it.’’

Knee Deep - Zac Brown Band (ft. Jimmy Buffett) by TCRA1G

ZacBrownBand-Toes by markymarks.country