Zach Person

How a jaw-dropping Gary Clark Jr. cover on American Idol led to to sharing a stage with buddy Guy, sharing bills with Foo Fighters — and releasing a multi-faceted debut album

- By Brad Angle

ZACH PERSON’S GUITAR journey was born out of one of the worst situations imaginable: the tragic death of his father.

“My dad was a prison guard in Maryland’s Jessup House of Corrections,” says Person, explaining that while on the job his father was attacked and killed by inmates who were into “shady stuff.” Person was 9 at the time.

Thankfully he had a loving mother who “wanted to make sure I was able to channel all that and stay busy,” says the now-24-yearold musician from his home in Austin. Person expressed a desire to learn guitar, so his mom bought him a First Act starter model “with a little battery-powered speaker in it.” That instrument didn’t just help Person process his grief, it also started the young player down a road that would lead to some truly uplifting, and life-altering, experiences.

In 2016, after years of woodshedding and playing in teenage bands, the guitarist/ singer auditioned for