Zach John King Spotlights Adoptable Dog Duke and Opens Up About His Path to Nashville On The Pupdate
While spending time with Duke, King also opened up about the making of his forthcoming debut album and the journey that led him to this exciting moment in his career.
Zach John King; Photo by Osprey Media
The Pupdate returns with Zach John King, who recently joined us, in partnership with MuttNation Foundation, to help shine a spotlight on shelter pets that are often overlooked. During a visit to the Williamson County Animal Center, the fast-rising country artist spent the afternoon getting to know Duke, one of the shelter’s longest residents.
Duke had been at WCAC since December 1 and was more than ready to stretch his legs and enjoy some time outside.
Fresh off dates with Morgan Wallen on the Still The Problem Tour, King joined us for a walk with Duke while opening up about his journey to Nashville, staying authentic to himself, and the highly anticipated debut album he’s been working on behind the scenes.
After clipping on Duke’s leash and heading out for a walk, King shared a bit about his own rescue dog, Waylon.
“I love adoption. We adopted him and he’s been the best thing ever,” he said with a smile.
Waylon doesn’t join him on the road just yet as King tells us he gets “a little too scared” meeting new people.
“But once he meets you, he loves you,” he clarified.
King has quickly become one of Nashville’s most talked-about newcomers, landing coveted tour slots with Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett, and more. He’s also appeared on several Artists to Watch lists for 2026, including Country Now, and his momentum continues to build.
Raised in Fayetteville, Georgia, King says his grandparents helped spark his love of songwriting and country music, though he initially tried to distance himself from the genre.
“I grew up listening to country music from my grandparents because that’s kind of all you listen to down in Fayetteville,” he pointed out. “I remember wanting to do something different. In high school, I didn’t want to be associated with my hometown. It was just like, ‘I want to be anything but country.’ So I got into indie rock and started an indie rock band in high school.”
He continued pursuing indie rock after moving to Athens, Georgia for college, but the pandemic shifted his perspective.
“I fell back in love with where I came from,” he tells us.
Eventually, King set his sights on Nashville and moved to Music City, where he spent his days writing songs and his nights waiting tables.
“I would just jot ideas down for songs while I was running food or running water,” he revealed. “It was definitely a reality check because you move thinking everything’s going to happen overnight and then you get to the restaurant and I was working 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM so I could write during the day. And needless to say, it was a little bit harder than I thought it was going to be.”
The hard work paid off. Now signed to Sony Music Nashville, King is turning heads with songs like “Beneath The Pines,” “Backwoods,” and his current single, “Get To Drinkin’.”
Through it all, he remains committed to staying true to himself.
“I think the thing about specifically about country music is if you can stay authentic to yourself, then people really buy in. So I try to write exactly what I lived or exactly where I’m from or who I am. I don’t really want to do the whole thing where I act like somebody I’m not.”
That same authenticity is something fans can expect from his debut album, a project he says has been more than a year in the making.
“It’s something I’m probably most excited about. We’ve worked so hard on it, worked for well over a year on it. And I just feel so strongly about the fact that if you’re going to be a real artist, you have to make albums. It has to be a good album because if you don’t, I think people start to see you as maybe just the guy with the singles.”
The upcoming project is designed to give listeners a complete picture of who he is as an artist.
“I’m so pumped about that. We just finished it, officially done last week. It will be out before the end of the year.”
King says he’s involved in nearly every aspect of the creative process, from selecting songs to shaping the album’s visuals.
“I’m very picky about what I do and don’t want. And I’m in every part of it from the cover to the ideas of the track list. And then I’ve been in the production process…It’s really just a fun process that feels very authentic to me. I hope when you listen to it, you’re like, “Oh, I haven’t heard that before.” That’s kind of our goal.”
For more with Zach John King, watch the full Pupdate above.
As for Duke, he’s currently living with a foster family while he waits for his forever home. The 53-pound pup is housetrained, walks well on a leash, loves to play, enjoys cuddling, and gets along with most other dogs. He would likely do well in a home with older children. For more information about Duke or to adopt him, click HERE.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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