Official Bio

Fun Bio


NakedZane was born in Abilene, Texas on July 27th 1977. He was naked then but felt no shame. Zane had a mother and father who loved him and an older brother who was neutral. He spent six years chasing horny toads, eating honeysuckle, and prowling the streets on his Big Wheel and then was told he was being moved to Kentucky. This was partially because his Dad got a job there and partially because his parents were concerned about his fast-developing west Texas drawl.

SoccerIn Kentucky, Zane discovered trees. He spent large amounts of time learning the ways of the Ninja (basically, running around with his best friend and doing somersaults), playing with Transformers, and winning soccer tournaments. He read because he liked it, got good grades because it was easy for him, and played the piano because his parents forced him to. At the end of the third grade, just when he was starting to like Kentucky, he was informed that he was being moved to West Virginia. This was partially because his Dad got a job there and partially because moving is so much fun.

Snake Hunter In West Virginia, Zane discovered snakes. He also discovered frogs and salamanders and newts and turtles, all of which he relentlessly hunted and asked Mom to keep. And that's pretty much all he did there. At the end of the seventh grade, just when he was starting to like West Virginia, he was informed he was moving to California. This was partially because his Dad got a job there and partially because the FBI was getting too close.

BeachZane spent his high school years body-boarding, hacky-sacking, and saying things like "like" all the time. He got good grades because he had nothing better to do, and because by now it was expected of him. He played three years of high school soccer but had to quit just when he was getting good, and then something incredible happened. His senior year, he got a girlfriend. Well, stole her technically but only because she wanted to be stolen. It was at this same time he got his first guitar and he began to write songs...songs of new love, songs of passionate love, and then songs about going to college and breaking up.

Punk Monk So now Zane's in college, and lo and behold it's back in Abilene, Texas at Abilene Christian University. (Zane's parents also moved to Abilene at the same time, partially because his Mom got a job at ACU and partially just because.) At ACU Zane discovered performing, a love for inner-city work, and the monk haircut. Two of these were actively encouraged by society, one was not. Zane graduated on May 8th, 1999 with a BA degree in Mathematics that he hopes he never has to use, and moved to Nashville two days later.

Wedding Bells In Music City (we're almost to the end folks!) Zane spent a year landscaping and substitute teaching before meeting a booking agent who introduced him to the college coffehouse circuit. Then he married an incredible young lady named Jodi Smith, and if that seems sudden to you, well, it did to Zane's parents too. But she's the best blessing he could ever have, and if you want the whole story you can invite Zane and Jodi over for supper and they'll give it to you. Now Zane and Jodi have been married five and a half years, and they're counting on Zane's new CD (out in late summer of 2006) to make him as big a name as all the other acoustic country acts his mom has never heard of. And won't that be nice.

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