Zach John King Spotlights Adoptable Dog Duke and Opens Up About His Path to Nashville On The Pupdate

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.