Southern-raised musician Zac Brown and the Zac Brown Band’s GRAMMY nominated song Chicken Fried is featured on this year’s GRAMMY Nominees album, proceeds of which benefit charity.

Chicken Fried, from ZBB’s album The Foundation, speaks to a simpler, country life of family, friends, cold beer and a great-fitting pair of jeans. On first glance the song and video, directed by Clifton Collins, Jr, might appear to be promoting that dreaded Southern stereotype of poor, backwoods, ignorant hicks with guns, a “boot in your ass” attitude and secessionist tendencies. But listen closely and you’ll hear, along with the amazing instrumentation, a celebration of the simpler things in life – a sunrise, the taste of a favorite meal, a woman’s love and the “touch of a precious child.”  All of these things resonate especially true now that we’re mired waist-deep in the consequences of years and years of a consumer-centered economy that placed more value on keeping up with the Joneses than keeping our families together, our children safe and our country intact. Zac invites you to join him for a drink if you agree with him about what is important in life. His melodic invitation gives you the sense that, regardless of whether you’re country, hip-hop, progressive, punk, straight, gay, northern, eastern, international or any other classification you give yourself, you would be warmly welcomed at this party.

Chicken Fried also pays tribute to our American soldiers, present and past, who have fought to save these small but vital things for the rest of us to enjoy. Yes, that’s Gunny Sergeant R. Lee Ermey screaming “Lock ‘n load, ladies!” at the end. See photos of Ermey, Zac and the crew during the video shoot for Chicken Fried on director Clifton Collins Jr’s MySpace page.

The Zac Brown Band are Zac Brown, himself of Dahlonega, Georgia, bassist John Hopkins, fiddler Jimmy De Martini, guitarist/organist Coy Bowles and drummer Chris Fryar along with newly joined Clay Cook of John Mayer and Sugarland fame. Cook brings guitar, vocals, organ, mandolin and pedal steel as well as his acclaimed song-writing talents.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2010 GRAMMY Nominees Album will benefit MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation. Get your copy today and be sure to tune into the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards January 31st at 8pm ET/PT.

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