10 things you didn't know about country icon Zach Bryan: From whirlwind romance to his mom's tragic death

10 things you didn't know about country music icon Zach Bryan: From love for Oklahoma to social media star

Zach Bryan of Oklahoma has had an incredibly rapid and influential rise in the last few years among musicians in both the country and Americana genres. The online celebrity made his stage debut at the venerable Grand Ole Opry in 2021 and went on to sign a record deal with Warner Records. Bryan constantly reaches new heights with his appeal to a diverse fan base that includes Americana enthusiasts pining for another Tyler Childers and country radio listeners hoping to discover the next Luke Combs. Here are 10 facts about Zach Bryan that will help readers understand his life, career, and qualities that set him apart from other musicians.

1. Zach Bryan is an Oklahoman at his core

Zachary Lane Bryan was born in Okinawa, Japan, while his family was deployed by the Navy and stationed abroad. Zach, however, was raised in the small town of Oolagh, Oklahoma. Being an Oklahoman at his core, the Grammy nominee often references his home state in songs like 'Oklahoma Smokeshow' and 'Oklahoma City'. He stated in a recent interview with The Oklahoman that having traveled much as a child had a significant influence on him: "It was really cool being able to grow up like that. They say ‘Navy brat’, but I learned a lot."

2. Zach Bryan served in the US Navy as a family tradition

Zach's family history is steeped in patriotic service: besides his parents, his uncles, grandfather, and great-grandfather also enlisted in the US Navy. He enlisted at the age of 17 because he was determined to carry on the tradition. He earned the rank of second-class Petty Officer after serving for eight years. Zach was honorably released from the Navy in the middle of 2021 to pursue a successful music career. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Bryan shared his reflections on his time spent in the Navy: "It’s all I lived, slept and ate for eight years, it’s been all I knew since I was basically a snot-nosed child. It made a man out of me, truly."

3. Zach Bryan began penning songs at the age of 14

The wide-eyed Southerner realized in his early youth that music was his true love. He stated to The Oklahoman: "When I was 14, we started making these dumb songs up, me and my buddies sitting around, and I just never really expected to be a musician, ever. But I always wanted to write songs. That's what I wanted to do: I wanted to be a songwriter." Zach wrote songs and developed his musical skills in his free time while serving in the Navy. His initial songs were inspired by his experiences on duty, his yearning for home, and his budding relationships.

4. Zach Bryan is an accidental artist

Zach Bryan had no intention of becoming a musician, it just happened. He was merely creating videos for his pals while serving in the US Navy before everyone became obsessed with Bryan's music. His breakthrough came when he was only 24 years old and stationed in Washington state. He hit the internet with his original song 'Heading South', which was watched and cherished by millions of people, all without any assistance from the music industry.

5. Zach Bryan named his 2019 debut album after his late mother Annette DeAnn

Zach launched his debut album, 'DeAnn', in August 2019, named in memory of his late mother, Annette DeAnn, who died in 2016 at the age of 49. He reportedly spent just two months writing and recording the entire album at a friend's Airbnb in Florida. Zach stated that the lyrics of his song 'God Speed' from the album are "amongst the most meaningful." Zach sings poignantly in his song, 'Dawns,' about how much Annette influenced him: "I miss my mother's Southern drawl / And her praying through the walls in the evening." He never revealed his mother's cause of death. 

6. Zach Bryan's second album was recorded in an old horse barn

Zach recorded his first two albums in fairly low-key, DIY setups because he did not have enough money at the beginning of the new decade. Zach and his pals used mattress forts to optimize the acoustics for the recording of 'DeeAnn'. He used his Washington home to track 'Elisabeth', transforming an old horse barn into a temporary recording studio with help from friends and family. Zach alludes to the set up in the first verse of the album cut 'Me and Mine'. He sings: "They tell me I can sell my soul for a dream and a couple shows / I don't think they understand how deep loyalty goes / For some boys I got in a barn we built out of pure Douglas fir / Badly written songs next to horses' shit is what an Okie boy prefers."

7. Zach Bryan was previously married and is currently seeing a Boston girl

Country music icon Zach Bryan was briefly married to Elisabeth Rose Madden, per Holler Country, whom he met while serving in the Navy. He even named his album 'Elisabeth' after her when they were married in 2020. However, they called it quits shortly after its release. Zach reportedly dated Deb Peifer for a brief period and he is currently dating online celebrity Brianna Chickenfry (real name: Brianna LaPaglia). Brianna is famous for her podcast 'PlanBri Uncut', and her work as a content developer, social media influencer, and TikTok star.

8. Zach Bryan is an avid supporter of Oklahoma Sooners

By the time Zach reached the final set of his first of two consecutive performances at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City in May, his excitement about playing in his native state was almost overwhelming. "I got a lot of love for Oklahoma. It's in my blood, and it's where I was raised. I want to try not to cry, so bear with me," said the country music star. During his two-night Tulsa home stand at BOK Center last August, the prolific singer, songwriter, and producer played 'Oklahoman Son', a moving ode to the Sooner State. Zach is also passionate about Oklahoma-based sports teams, particularly the Sooners. 

9. Zach Bryan has a huge social media following

Zach is active on social media, where he posts updates about his music and engages with followers. He is a trans ally with 781,000 YouTube subscribers, over 26,000 X (previously Twitter) followers, and over 2.6 million Instagram followers. Kid Rock and Travis Tritt were among the artists who openly boycotted the beer brand Bud Light to express their intolerance towards the trans community. However, Zach used social media to advocate for the trans community. He tweeted in April: "I just think insulting transgender people is completely wrong because we live in a country where we can all just be who we want to be."

10. Zach Bryan is worth millions

Country Thang estimated that Zach Bryan has a net worth of about $8 million. The wealth is allegedly dependent on sponsorship, performances, YouTube, his music, and downloads. Zach has found fame, and fortune and won several awards including a Grammy for 'I Remember Everything' in 2024 and a Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Artist in 2023 among other accolades.