their parents weren't going to let their brilliant and driven young sons' spirits be dampened. The men didn't get a record deal the day they hesitantly strolled into a big record label's lobby and asked the receptionist if they might sing for someone, but they made such an impact on the label's president that the three formed a professional connection.
For either of these industrious Oklahoma lads, the single-mindedness of purpose and laser-focused drive to create their music the best it can possibly have never faltered, and they are poised and ready to share their own distinctive brand of genuine country music with the world. In some places of Oklahoma, there must be something in the water.
Reba, Blake, Vince, Garth, Toby, and Carrie are all from the same state that the Swon Brothers grew up in. In fact, Zach and Colton grew up across the street from Carrie Underwood, the American Idol winner who went on to become a country superstar, and the three of them shared the stage numerous times throughout their early years.
The boys began singing and creating songs as soon as they were able to walk with their parents' southern gospel ensemble, Exodus. And it was a style of life they immediately became enamored with.
Zach discovered that the place where he felt most at home was onstage in front of an audience before he was even a pre-teen, and he picked up lots of talents from the artists that were continuously around him.
Zach acknowledges, "I've always maintained I'm more comfortable on stage than in a group meeting new people out in a social situation." “It's simply that I enjoy being on stage. I believe I'm simply more myself now. Playing with Kenny Hinson was one of my favorite recollections from those years.
He's the Garth of gospel music, and he's arguably my all-time favorite singer. Unfortunately, he died of cancer... I believe he'd have been fantastic, but one of the nicest things that have ever happened to me was working with the Hinsons on a show.
It was one of the largest audiences I'd ever played for, and the highlight was when he came out and sang a song with my parents.
It was fantastic when I was ten or eleven years old!” Following their departure from the road, their parents established a family-style variety show in Wagoner, Oklahoma, and soon Zach and Colton were enthralling crowds and honing their musical chops on everything from Elvis to Frank Sinatra.
“It was a new atmosphere, but it was there that I truly broke out of my shell on stage and started performing,” Colton adds. “In the concert, we had to learn everything from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson... even a Grease song... but, of course, country music was our favorite!
In the concert, we each got solo parts when we sang. Zach was such a fan of Elvis that he dressed up in a suit and wig and impersonated him during the show.” “And then Colton walked out wearing a top hat and sang a Frank Sinatra song,” Zach continues.
“At the time, I liked singing, but I was more interested in playing. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be a musician because I have never taken a single instrument lesson. Drums came easy to me, and I had the opportunity to observe a number of outstanding drummers through the years with my parents, and they all showed me something.
It was at the Waggoner performance that I started playing piano and guitar at the same time.” The Swons' concert at the Civic Center in Wagoner became extremely famous, and people filled the facility to a full week after week to watch them perform.
After gaining a large fanbase, Zach and Colton decided to become a duet and concentrate even more on songwriting. They've both been writing since they were children. They actually have a video of their first trip to Music City, not that they'll ever forget that fateful day when they fell deeply in love with Nashville and its country music culture.
“That day, our dad took us around to every label in town,” Zach says. “They knew it wasn't going to happen, but they videotaped it and watched us go in and out, and you can see the camera start shaking because they're laughing so hard at us coming out with our guitars, you know.
And we're disappointed because we thought that's how you get a record contract... you simply go in, sing well, and get a record deal,” Zach chuckles. “We arrived at our last destination. It was really disheartening to get booted out of so many labels.
“It's difficult for me to accept no,” Colton continues, “so of course the final label read no, and we went back in the car.” My father told me, ‘If you truly want to sing for someone, simply go in there and sing for the receptionist...' That was our last stop before heading to Florida.
I'm sure you won't.' And you said something to me that was very inappropriate! It was a struggle for me! So Zach waited in the van while I walked inside; I couldn't see over the counter since I was maybe 8 or 9 years old, and I was already a small boy.
'Look, we're very wary of being told no...could we please sing for you?' I pleaded to the receptionist. 'Sure, it won't get you anywhere, but you can sing for me,' she added. So I went out to find my brother, who had taken refuge in his car.
We both went back in and began singing a song by the Everly Brothers. The head of the label came down the lobby stairs after a conference and stopped to listen to us while we were singing for the receptionist. Since then, he's been a wonderful buddy.
The Swon Brothers were just finalists on Team Blake on NBC's "The Voice." The Swon Brothers spent years performing and releasing music on their own label, which was well-received by their ever-growing fan base, prior to their "Voice" experience.
Songs like the irresistibly catchy "Oklahoma Lovin'" and the bluesy, soulful "This Close To Gone" demonstrate not just their various vocal abilities, but also their ability to compose compelling lyrics that appeal to audiences of all ages.
Their deep fraternal relationship is evident in both their daily lives and their performances, as they are jokingly mock and taunt one another onstage and swap melodies. As they embark into their tight-knit, flawless harmonies, their pure brilliance shows through.
When you see them perform, you can tell that music is not just in their blood, but also in their hearts.
