Zac Brown Band’s Chart-Topping Duets: When Collaboration Hits Gold

Zac Brown Band’s chart-topping duets are proof that sometimes the best way to climb the charts is to bring a friend (or three) along for the ride. The Georgia native group has already made a name for themselves with their signature country anthems, but it’s their knack for teaming up with other artists that has delivered some of their biggest commercial payoffs. These collaborations didn’t just boost their sales; they cemented the band’s place as one of country music’s most respected groups.  

The band’s first single from their 2010 album, You Give What You Give, “As She’s Walking Away,” their collaboration with country legend Alan Jackson, became a major commercial success. The track reached No. 1 on both the US Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts and the Billboard Country Airplay Charts.   

Aside from performing well on the charts, the collaboration also won the GRAMMY for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards. Written by Zac Brown and Wyatt Durrette, the lyrics was inspired by a personal experience of hesitation in approaching a woman: “Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walking away / And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say / May have lost this battle, live to fight another day / Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walking away.”  

The band’s collaboration with Jimmy Buffett lends an island-influenced style to the band. “Knee Deep” also performed well on the charts, like “As She's Walking Away.” It was a crossover hit and peaked at No. 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking it as one of the band’s biggest mainstream successes.  

Composed by Brown, Durrette, Coy Bowles, and Jeffrey Steele, the lyrics talk about escapism and relaxation, especially the chorus: “Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere / Got the blue sky breeze and it don't seem fair / Only worry in the world is the tide going to reach my chair / Sunrise, there's a fire in the sky / Never been so happy / Never felt so high / And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise.” If you want to have a serious case of wanderlust, listen to this song and watch the music video.  

The collaboration happened organically from a chance meeting with the band during a camping trip. Partnering with Buffett is a good choice for the band because of his influence on contemporary country music and his tropical and Caribbean rock sound, which gives the Zac Brown Band an opportunity to expand their musical repertoire.   

The band’s recent collaboration is none other than with country music icon Dolly Parton for the song “Butterfly.” Released on September 5, the track is included on their upcoming album, Love & Fear, set to be released on December 5.  

The song’s inspirational lyrics talk about being strong despite life’s difficulties: “Butterfly, you will see / You're so much stronger than you think you are / You just have to believe / You can fly, mend your wings / Any moment you can free yourself / And fly out of the darkness, butterfly.”  

“Butterfly” debuted at No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart, marking Parton's second career No. 1 on the chart, while giving the band their 25th top 10 hit.  

Zac Brown Band’s duets emphasize their ability to blend their sound with other artists while managing to keep their country roots. The band does well in choosing the right collaborative partners who complement their style and help introduce them to new audiences. These partnerships not only resulted in multiple number-one hits but also GRAMMY recognition and significant streaming numbers.