On an island where cover bands and one-man acoustic acts blanket every restaurant with sound, it can be hard to stand out. But just ask anyone who has seen him play during his Thursday night residency at Red Fish or his weekend shows at Coligny, and they’ll tell you that Zach Stevens occupies a spot all his own.
It’s not just the musical talent he puts on display with every show – although that certainly bears mentioning, his capabilities as a guitarist putting a distinct spin on songs from Grateful Dead classics to newer tunes from artists like Leon Bridges. Instead, what truly sets him apart is his distinctive singing. Cut from the same cloth as the soulful crooners of an era long gone, he fills a room with a voice that feels like you’ve been hearing it all your life.
With his first single, “Old Love,” he leans into that distinctive voice with a song that feels equally timeless.
Zach Stevens and Trevor Harden review the footage before the next take on the set of Stevens’ new music video, “Old Love,” which follows a couple from grade school through their golden years.
“It is an oldies-sounding song. We were going for that Sam Cooke sound with it,” Stevens said. Perched on a seat at The Jazz Corner on Hilton Head Island, decked out in a camera-ready black-on-black jacket and T-shirt ensemble, Stevens chatted while waiting for his drummer, Matt Robbins, to show up. The rest of his band for the video shoot, with personnel including Davis Lentz on saxophone, Will Snyder on bass, and Charlie Simpson on piano, was already preparing as filmmaker Trevor Harden set up the lights.
“It’s a pretty in-your-face love song,” Stevens continued. “I think this song has a very commercial element, but not in a bad way. I don’t ever write anything trying to be weird. … I actually maybe care a little bit too much about what people think. But this song has been funny because of the people who gravitated to it. My family really liked it, which I was nervous about.”
The Zach Stevens Band at The Jazz Corner (from left to right) Charlie Simpson, Zach Stevens, Will Snyder, Matt Robbins and Davis Lentz
The song also represents a departure for Stevens in that he doesn’t generally record music. In addition to the residencies mentioned, he is an in-demand player who usually keeps a full calendar throughout the summer months. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for recording music, but it’s something that Stevens has seen a growing need for.
“All year long, people are asking me if I have a QR code they can scan to listen to my music. But I never had any music,” he said. “That will no longer be the bane of my existence.”
Stevens first sought out his friend Luke Mitchell, the Hilton Head Island native who got his start as one of The Gnomes in high school before moving on to bigger projects like Rowdy Cloud and The High Divers and producing his own solo work. “I originally went to Asheville to record with Luke, but I kind of went overboard with it and recorded a lot. This song was actually kind of an afterthought,” he said. “It was the sixth song we recorded in three days, and I quickly realized this was the pop song.”
Coming home with a demo in hand, Stevens turned to Will Snyder to add some extra sauce in post-production.
At that, Robbins walked in the door and the band was ready to perform. Playing over a backing track, it’s evident what kind of sauce Snyder brought to “Old Love.” It’s a track that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Percy Sledge greatest hits album, layered with horns and harmonies.
“It’s a great song,” said Harden, filming the band. “Zach has an amazing voice and the songwriting is great. It’s perfect to package with a video.”
The concept for the video, playing off the idea of old love, will intersperse shots of the band against a narrative look at a couple’s story from childhood into older age. In addition to commercial videos that he creates through his company, Harden Creative, Trevor is old hat at making music videos, having crafted spots for Pretty Darn and Jevon Daly, among others.
“Maggie and CH2 reached out to do a collaboration,” Harden said. “We threw around a couple of different ideas. Originally it was going to be a compilation of older couples as B roll, then we wanted to do something slightly more narrative.”
The result is a video that feels as timeless as the song it represents. Had it been written 50 years ago, “Old Love” would be a wedding and anniversary staple by now. Instead, it’s a refreshingly contemporary take on the classic love song that’s destined for timelessness.
Matt Robbins, drummer and guitarist with the Zach Stevens Band (with the real job) waits for his cue at the Jazz Corner.