Zach John King And Bayker Blankenship Team Up With 'Life Behind Bars'
(SMN) Zach John King today releases a "stellar track" (Holler) with Bayker Blankenship, "Life Behind Bars." Written by King, Jordan Reynolds, and Heath Warren, the song puts a unique spin on the classic country theme of the camaraderie felt when gathering with friends after the local watering hole shuts down for the night. After Reynolds suggested title "Life Behind Bars," the trio worked to build an unexpected twist on the phrase, leading King to draw inspiration from his life growing up in Fayetteville, GA.
"My mind went straight to my hometown," King shared. "There was a spot called Wings and Things, and after every home football game, everyone would meet up there - just a bunch of us circled up in the parking lot, hanging out, telling stories, making memories. I remember exactly what that parking lot looked like and the kind of people who showed up. That's what this song is about. Small-town life after the lights go out and the bar closes down."
King later felt the track should be a duet, asking friend Blankenship to join him on the small-town anthem. "I met Bayker Blankenship earlier this year while we were both playing the C2C Festival in Europe. I'd been a fan of his music for a while, and we ended up sharing a green room in Berlin," King said. "We hit it off immediately and basically toured Europe together for two weeks. I was out there solo, so Bayker and his team kind of became my road family. Bayker was the first person I thought of for 'Life Behind Bars.' His voice is unreal, and the song suits him so well. We recorded the track in a day, filmed the video in one night, and now we get to share it with y'all."
Blankenship also shared his excitement for the track, stating, "When Zach approached me about this song, I was immediately drawn in. It's funny, I remember getting ready that morning, listening to the demo, and the first verse and chorus just hit me - it felt like being back with my closest friends after being away for too long. Meeting Zach over in Germany during the C2C tour was instant camaraderie; he's just one of those guys you connect with right away. Having him there felt like having a piece of home with me. So, when he came to me with this track, it was an easy yes. We got into the studio and really brought it to life. I'm incredibly grateful Zach thought of me for this, and I genuinely hope when people listen, they feel that same sense of connection and good times that we felt making it."
King and Blankenship also teamed up to release a music video for the track. The one-take style video brings the song to life, showing King and Blankenship in the middle of a rowdy parking lot hangout, surrounded by good friends.
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