People used to think that Creed were really corny. Lots of people looked at the legendary '90s and 2000s band as unbearably earnest and overbearing. Admittedly, those people aren't entirely wrong. However, in a society increasingly poisoned by irony, their sincerity is incredibly refreshing. They take themselves very seriously and there's a grandiosity to their hits I appreciate. I mean, their Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show after 9/11 speaks for itself. Performances like that see a lot of country fans and artists alike love them, including Zach Bryan apparently.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Recently, Creed spoke with Billboard after they surprisingly performed at Stagecoach. The festival typically highlights country artists but the band doesn't necessarily stick out as unwelcome. They clearly feel at home up on that stage too and they discuss why it's such a seamless fit. Let frontman Scott Stapp tell it, their influence is all over modern country artists and their inclination to lean closer to rock music. Apparently, someone like Zach Bryan will admit it themselves according to the band.
Zach Bryan is a Big Creed Fan and Might Work on a Song With Them
"(We) thought it'd be something fun to do," Stapp says regarding their Stagecoach performance. "I mean, we respect all of the artists here and just want to be a part of the greater music community. We kind of feel like our music connects, and there's a thread with a lot of these country artists here. Especially these younger ones. You know, when we meet them and you know guys like Hardy and Zach Bryan and other guys, they all tell us, 'We grew up listening to your music.' It's cool to be a part of this scene and know we've influenced some of these artists. It's cool."
When it comes to which country artists they're all into personally, guitarist Mark Tremonti highlights Bryan and Sturgill Simpson. Meanwhile, Stapp picks Luke Combs out of the crop of artists. When it comes to who they want to collaborate with most, the guitarist highlights the Something in The Orange singer again. Additionally, Scott says there's potential in a collaboration with him very soon. "We've been back and forth, kind of communicating with Zach for a while now. And so it seems like an organic thing is happening there. So, stay tuned on that one," he teases.
