Have you ever thought about performing in popular, big name buildings? Ever want to know what it is like to be a master of multiple crafts? Look no further than Zack Brown.

Brown is a Senior Commercial Music major with an emphasis in bass. For Brown, music is everything. “Music speaks where words can’t. It is the universal language. It is my life and means everything to me,” Brown said.

Brown first got into music because of his family. “My whole family was very musical and it was an awesome environment to grow up in,” Brown said. Brown’s favorite part about music is, “whenever I am unsure of how to approach a situation, or how to act around a certain person, there is a song somewhere that will help me.”

Brown says that “there is a lot of wisdom in music, but there is also a lot of foolishness. The difficult part of sifting through the foolishness and finding that great music that is filled with wisdom.”

When asked what sets him apart from others on Millikin’s campus, Brown said “My age. I’m only joking. In all seriousness though, I’ve had a lot of really cool experiences. I’m sure there are a lot of people that have had equally and possibly even greater, experiences than me. I was in show choir in high school and, while I was with
them, I performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. I also performed at the Hard Rock Café in Orlando, Florida. I also played in jazz band in high school. While on tour with them, we went all over the east coast including a special performance at the Capitol building in Washington D.C.,” Brown said.

Brown has also been a member of another band that gained popularity up north in Wisconsin. The band was a worship band and he played in it for a year. “We almost got to go on the Passion tour,” Brown said. Passion tour is essentially the Warped tour for worship music. It is a big deal to be a part of. Most of the biggest names in worship music go on the Passion tour. Brown said, “Due to bad communication, the opportunity fell through.”

Brown also sang back up for Kenny Loggins. “It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. I’m actually playing bass for Eisenhower this year and when I opened the binder, the first song was the Conviction of the Heart which is one of the songs I sang with Kenny. It took me back to good, old memories,” Brown said.

Brown is an average college student like the rest of us. Even with his high accolades, Brown remains a very relatable guy. Brown has done his fair share of medieval combat reenactments, or LARPing (Live Action Role Playing). He also enjoys watching movies, geeking out, and hanging out with friends at the bar every so often.

“If you want to get to know me better, I’ll be the big lumberjack uncomfortably hauling an upright bass across campus. Stop me and say hey!” Brown said.