There’s officially a new member of the Zac Brown Band. The group’s leader, Zac Brown, announces that Caroline Jones has been made a full-time member — and the first female member — of the award-winning group, after previously playing with them as a guest musician for numerous shows.
“It feels like Caroline has been part of Zac Brown Band for years,” Brown tells Entertainment Tonight. “She has done a few tours with us and has also been in the recording studio creating with us. She is family and a badass musician. She sings the highest and works the hardest.”
“Joining Zac Brown Band as an official member is the greatest honor of my career so far,” adds Jones “To be validated not only as a singer and songwriter, but as a musician and member of the family, means more to me than I can put into words.”
Jones previously praised Brown, and his willingness to let her play as part of the Zac Brown Band, while also pursuing a solo career.
“I’ve never been a side-man before,” Jones told Everything Nash. “I’ve always been kind of the steerer and leader of my own ship. But I’m a real music nerd. I love instruments. And so this gig is a real reach for me as a musician, because these guys are such incredible musicians. So, having the responsibility and the honor of playing other people’s songs and music instead of your own, it’s like a masterclass on stage every night.”
Jones has been taking plenty of notes since Brown first invited her to perform as part of his band.
“It’s really formative for me,” Jones said earlier this year of playing with Brown. “And I’ve noticed even just in a year of being in their band, so many changes in me as an artist and a musician. They have a rawness and a willingness to take risks because they’re veterans. So me being a perfectionist, I tend to be more timid, or I tend to not do something unless I know I can nail it. And Zac is just super raw. His talent is just out there on the edge. He doesn’t care as much about necessarily the perfection of the thing as the soul and the grit of it. And I think some of that’s rubbing off on me, which is really good for me.”
Jones will serve as the opening act for select dates on Home Free‘s Family Christmas Tour in December, All of Jones’ upcoming shows can be found by visiting her website. All of Zac Brown Band’s upcoming shows can be found here.