Williams brings songs of faith, experiences to Wild Adventures

Published 4:14 pm Tuesday, June 10, 2025

VALDOSTA – Zach Williams is ready to play his hits for South Georgia.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter brings the edge of outlaw country music to his songs of faith.

Williams is expected to perform songs from albums such as his debut, “Chain Breaker” and his latest, “A Hundred Highways,” Saturday, June 14 at Wild Adventures Theme Park.

Before the Grammy, before the Christian songs, before songs like his latest single, “Jesus Loves,” Williams faced a crisis of faith.

He grew up in the church as the son of a worship leader, as a child in a loving family. He earned a scholarship to play college basketball, but his sports career was sidetracked by an injury. 

Nearly age 20, he discovered the guitar. He had a talent for music and eventually pursued a rock music career. On the road, Williams moved away from his faith. He drank and used drugs, according to his biography.

Williams found his way back to his faith, singing on stage about the Lord but using alcohol and drugs behind the scenes. On the road, he heard Big Daddy Weave’s “Redeemed” on the radio and Williams thought maybe it’s not too late to save his soul. 

He came home, gave up the road and music, devoted himself to his wife, family and church. He worked a regular job until he began developing new songs in the spirit of his renewed faith.

Though he’s had hit records, won a Grammy and been sober for about a decade, Williams still sings of his past and the majority of his website biography is filled with the story of his troubles.

“It keeps me grounded,” Williams said in a phone interview earlier this spring with The Valdosta Daily Times, referring to his story. “It keeps me humble.”

His experiences also serve as catalyst for his lyrics. His songs share the raw honesty of a man who has walked the words he sings.

“Knowing that’s my story, I have an audience for the music and that message from me,” he said. “It will always be a part of my life. I have an amazing platform to share that story.”

His platform has been the expected music halls, stages and churches, but Williams began performing in prisons.

His wife spoke with a group of inmates as part of a Nashville, Tenn., prison ministry. She suggested Williams play at the prison. He was hesitant. He visited the prison. He saw inmates on their knees after he performed “Washed Clean.” The sight moved Williams and his bandmates to tears. He said he realized had he not changed his ways, he too could have been in prison.

Like Johnny Cash’s “At Folsom Prison,” Williams recorded a live concert behind bars with his “Survivor: Live from Harding Prison.”

At the time of the Times’ interview, Williams said he was preparing to return to the road after a few months off. His tour schedule mostly runs Thursdays through Sundays then home with his family the other days of the week. He is comfortable being where he needs to be because he knows where he’s been.

From growing up in the church, to derailed plans of being a basketball star, to picking up the guitar and music at the age of 19, to becoming a professional musician, to enduring hard life experiences, to love, redemption and success, Williams said it’s all part of the path.

He said, “God knew the steps I needed to go through.”

Williams plays at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 14, Wild Adventures Theme Park, Old Clyattville Road. For information, visit wildadventures.com.