Zac Brown Band Join Hands for ‘Same Boat’ at the 2021 CMA Awards
Zac Brown Band performed their uplifting single, "Same Boat," at the 2021 CMA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov. 10). Accompanied by a plucky guitar line, the band performed their upbeat song in front of a peaceful, nautical-themed cartoon backdrop.
Frontman Zac Brown opted for a simple delivery from the CMAs stage, playing an acoustic guitar and dressed in a black button-down shirt with a tan cowboy hat. He was flanked by his bandmates, who chimed in on their respective instruments for solos during the song, furthering "Same Boat"'s message of unity. During the bridge, ZBB even led the crowd — including Keith Urban and Thomas Rhett — in a round of rhythmic clapping, lending the performance a jam session vibe.
Brown co-wrote "Same Boat" alongside Ben Simonetti and Jonathan Singleton, and he says he wanted to emphasize a message of community and togetherness that's especially timely nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It’s about how we all go through the same things, all together. It is a chance to be able to remind people to be positive, be good to each other and show empathy. You don’t know what it’s like to walk around in someone else’s shoes," he explained when the song first dropped. "We’re all human beings. Let’s spread some love around and show kindness to each other.”
In addition to their performance gig at the 2021 CMAs, ZBB are nominees at this year's show, too. They're up for Vocal Group of the Year, a title that they've been nominated for 10 times in the past, but never won. Headed into this year's show, the only CMA Award the band has ever won was New Artist of the Year back in 2010.
The Country Music Association held the 2021 CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. The show, hosted for the first time by Luke Bryan, returned to the venue — its home since 2006 — after one year at Music City Center due to the COVID-19 pandemic.