Controlling the narrative.
Today, Zach Bryan dropped his highly anticipated EP, Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs. The stellar project included the likes of fan-favorites on tour like “Lodi When,” “Robot Killed The Working Man,” “Backwards” and “You’ll Get By,” as well as features from the likes of the legendary Turnpike Troubadours on “Plainsman” alt-pop star, Lana Del Rey, on “Lies,” which seems to be the runaway hit.
With that being said, however, it’s not just the new project that he had up his sleeve. Right before the EP dropped, on Wednesday, the Oklahoma native rolled out a MASSIVE 2027 stadium tour of the same name. Hitting the likes of the Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field, the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field, the Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field and many more, Bryan is taking on 23 different stadiums across the U.S., Canada and Australia.
In case that wasn’t enough, the “Lodi When” singer is also preparing the release of his first-ever book in tandem with Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs’ physical release, which is currently projected to ship in January 2027.
According to the description on his website, the book, which is also titled Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs, is a reflection of the past 10 years of his life, detailing his rise to fame from the Navy to setting the U.S. record for highest-attended concert in history last year.
“Zach Bryan writes a ten year period piece taking an in depth look at the last ten years of his life. His childhood and all he learned from it, his honorable discharge from the Navy, his touring career from small theatre’s to three night stadium sell outs, his vices and mistakes along with his victories and lessons. His lack of public statements and interviews makes this book a rare glimpse inside the mind of a generational songwriter and a better of understanding of where he comes from.”
Of course, when you dive into Bryan’s artistry, there’s undeniably so much to discuss. Of course, you can talk about all the inherent drama from past relationships that have been pushed to the top of headlines, the public beefs he’s had with fellow artists and the political statements he’s made over the years.
With that being said, however, when it’s all said and done, it’s become more than apparent that the Oklahoma native has become one of the most prolific songwriters we’ve seen in the current generation, and it looks like he’s trying to clear any of the various preconceived narratives and notions in the book. Whiskey Riff has covered Zach extensively since his very first video went viral (I’m pretty confident we wrote the first blog about him back in June of 2019), and I can tell you first hand we’ve seen a number of stories get completely misreported. In some cases, the facts were true, but the context was missing… Zach will presumably address a lot of that with the book.
During a lengthy, two-hour conversation with Matthew McConaughey, which was also released on YouTube in tandem with the EP, Bryan would explain that he felt that he had to pen the book to tell his own story. Here, he’d reference the aforementioned false narratives about him over the past few years.
“I learned this the hard way — I think growing up. Especially the last five years, I think if you don’t tell your own story, a thousand people will tell it for you — usually incorrectly.”
From there, he’d dive into the true inspiration behind the book — passing his story down to future generations.
“I was sitting there one night after I had written like 20 pages. I felt if I wrote something down, it will last forever. I can share it with my wife one day. I can share it with my kids. Kids were a big inspiration — my future children, God willing. I thought, ‘Man, if i write this down, this will live forever.’ Not that it needs to live forever, not because I think people give a sh*t. But because I want, if I’m lucky enough to make it to 80 years old, to read it. I wrote it, and I showed all my friends. And they said, ‘Man, I didn’t know half of this about you.'”
Once again referencing the seemingly endless amount of headlines and drama surrounding him over the years, he’d explain that he thought the book was the only way to “settle” any rumors. Here, Bryan would call the narrative “no bullsh*t” and no “frills,” promising that he’s not going to paint himself in any certain light — good or bad.
“I thought it was important to share my story before those 1,000 incorrect stories became my story… I learn new things about myself every day on the internet that are very formidable things. I thought a good way to settle that was to write my own story — good, bad and ugly. No bullsh*t, no frills — I’m not going to make myself look better or worse. I needed to know who I was, and I think writing that let me do that.”
After revealing that the book will be roughly 250 pages, he’d note that he was brought to tears upon completion, also remarking how much of an impact his wife, Samantha, had on him while writing.
“Samantha read it. She was like, ‘This is really special. I read it to her, and I was bawling. I was weeping at times. I think she saw me for who I really was in that. If she can see me for who I really was in that, I think a million people might — a hundred people might, whoever picks up the book.”
As of now, the book, Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs, is currently sold out on Bryan’s website, with the potential of a restock currently being unknown.
You can watch the whole conversation with McConaughey here:
