All About Zach Bryan’s Parents, Dewayne and Annette Bryan

Zach Bryan’s parents are never far from his thoughts when he’s writing or performing.

The Grammy-nominated singer was born in Japan, and he and his older sister, MacKenzie Bryan Taylor, were later raised in Oklahoma by their parents, US Navy veteran Victor Dewayne Bryan and Annette DeAnn Bryan (née Mullen).

After his parents divorced when he was about 12, Zach lived with his father, who had full custody, but remained close to Annette.

Annette died in August 2016, and Zach’s first studio album, DeAnn, was named in her honor. He has since released three more studio albums, including his self-titled 2023 project.

“Mom was my best friend… She knew me better than I knew myself, and better than anyone will ever know me,” Zach wrote in part on Instagram shortly after her death. “A beautiful woman, with a beautiful heart full of beautiful words and smiles that she gladly shared with me. Every memory and every moment is embedded in my soul.”

Today, Dewayne is a regular at his son’s shows, often showing his support by hosting block and door parties before Zach’s concerts. “I can’t keep track of all this, to be honest,” he said Tulsa World star glory of his son. “There’s just no way to describe what it’s like to be this person’s parent.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Zach Bryan’s parents, Dewayne and Annette Bryan.

Dewayne and Annette raised Zach in Oklahoma

Zach Byran with his mom Annette Bryan.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Dewayne and Annette were married on May 5, 1989 while stationed overseas in the US Navy. Zach was born in Japan, where Dewayne was the head chief.

The “I Remember Everything” singer was in eighth grade when the family moved to Oologah, Oklahoma, a town about 30 miles outside of Tulsa. Around that time, Zach’s parents divorced when he was about 12 years old, according to The New York Times.

Dewayne remarried to Anna Rodgers, a nurse and clinical research coordinator. According to his Facebook profile, Dewayne has been the managing partner of Bryan and Son’s Property and Bryan and Son’s Transport since 2022, and served as an engineer 1st class at Oklahoma State University.

Zach’s Oklahoma roots are evident in his music, which includes titles like “Oklahoma Smoke Show,” “Oklahoma City,” and “Tishomingo.” His website also touches on his Midwestern pride, stating that Zach is “proud of his small-town roots and whose music is driven by a desire to stay true to himself.”

They welcomed two children

Zach Bryan with his mom Annette Bryan and sister MacKenzie Bryan Taylor.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Dewayne and Annette had two children. Their daughter, MacKenzie Bryan Taylor, was born on September 22, 1994. They had their second child, a son, Zachary Lane Bryan, on April 2, 1996.

MacKenzie is a comedian and, just like with Zach, Dewayne promotes her shows on social media. A flyer for her September 2023 appearance was partially titled, “The Girl Who Made Me Dad Will Solve Your Sorrows With Her Spicy Smiles.”

In August 2022, Mackenzie shared a video on Instagram in which she jokingly performed Zach’s song, “Revival,” in the style of Shakira — while her dad hung the lights while she performed her set.

Zach called his sister “my favorite person on the planet.” MacKenzie and her partner, Morgan Taylor, married in October 2021.

Zach followed in his parents’ footsteps and joined the Navy

Zach Bryan with his dad Dewayne Bryan and sister MacKenzie Bryan Taylor.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Dewayne retired as a Chief Mechanic’s Mate after nearly 24 years of active duty in the US Navy. He later earned an associate degree from Rogers State University in 2013.

“I am a Christian, dad and husband who works hard, believes in his neighbors and loves to eat and cook steak and barbecue,” he wrote on his LinkedIn profile. “My passion is serving others and cooking the best fried meat.”

Like his parents, uncles, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, Zach also joined the US Navy at the age of 17. In an interview with Ship2Shore, he talked about how he was an aviation gunsmith, whose job was to assemble, repair and load weapons.

During his career, Zach was stationed in Washington and Florida and served tours in Bahrain and Djibouti. After eight years, he was honorably discharged in 2021 so that he could continue his music career.

Annette died in 2016

Zach Bryan and his mom Annette Bryan.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Zach described his mom The New York Times as “a cutie from Oklahoma, a homecoming queen cheerleader, almost a freaking small-town celebrity.”

Although Annette struggled with alcohol and Dewayne was awarded full custody of their children after the divorce, Zach said he was always close to his mother.

Annette died on August 3, 2016 at the age of 49, and Zach processed his loss through songwriting. While some believed he was repressing his feelings, he told the publication that the person he confided in is no longer with him.

“I think my mother’s death really solidified the darkness in my life,” he said. “It opened up that thing in you that’s like, ‘Hey, be a man now.’ ”

Zach shared a post marking the second anniversary of Annette’s death, writing: “There are a lot of things to do in two years that I wanted to tell you about. I love you more than life and I miss you like hell. Just be careful, mom, I’m doing it.”

Zach’s family supports his music career

Zach Bryan performs during the September 2023 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee.

Erika Goldring/Getty

Zach started writing poetry around the age of twelve, and two years later, his grandfather gave him his first guitar. Eventually he set his songs to music and started writing songs with his friends.

The “Something in the Orange” singer finds songwriting therapeutic, but didn’t expect to pursue it, telling YouTuber Grady Smith in 2019 that it “has been something that has eased my pain over the years, and now it’s coming to this. ”

Zach started sharing his music on social media while still serving in the Navy, and videos of him singing went viral in 2017. He took time off from the service to record his debut album in 2019. DeAnn.

“Zachary always had a ‘jump off a cliff and build wings on the way down’ attitude,” Dewayne said Tulsa World about how his son approaches life. “It’s frustrating at times, but I think he’s made it through this.”

Zach named his first studio album in honor of Annette

Zach Bryan with his mom Annette Bryan.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Zach told Smith that Annette was “like my best friend in the world” and her death in 2016 “rocked me”. His first studio album, DeAnnwas self-released in 2019, and the title was in honor of Annette, whose middle name was DeAnn.

The “Hey Driver” singer talked about going to his mother’s house, where Annette would make him sing songs for her, yelling and screaming as he played and often crying when she recorded him. Zach recalled his embarrassment when his mom would post on Facebook to invite friends to “listen to my boy sing!”

“She always just had a lot of faith in me. She knew me better than anyone,” he said. “I think I would have a few things to say to her, they would probably be in a few of the songs that are on DeAnn.”

In August 2020, he shared a touching message on Instagram in honor of the first anniversary DeAnnpointing out that the album is full of “the spirit of this beautiful woman”.

“As much as a select few may claim that I changed them, or helped them, or saved them, I want everyone to know that my life was saved when I made this record,” the ACM Awards 2023 New Artist of the Year winner captioned the presentation on Instagram. “It was built with the purest mindset that ever existed.”

Dewayne joined Zach on stage

Dewayne Bryan holds the dog.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

Zach’s dad loves coming for his son, he goes to Zach’s shows as often as he can.

“I cry every time,” Dewayne told News on 6 about attending his concerts. “Each one is brand new.”

Dewayne has become a popular figure among Zach’s fans: He’s involved in the Zach Bryan Fan Group on Facebook, hosts tailgates and gives out tickets, or “Dad Comps,” to fans at shows, according to Tulsa World.

“I love going to shows. I love interacting with people. I love hosting block parties and tailgates. Now when people ask me about my career, I tell them I’m a professional tailgater,” he told News on 6.

Dewayne is a music lover in general, regularly sharing posts about musicians on social media and promoting local Oklahoma artists. Ahead of Zach’s two sold-out concerts at his home arena in Tulsa in August 2023, Dewayne threw a party featuring local artists who “all want to do what Zach did.”

Dewayne isn’t just out in the crowd – he’s also performed with Zach. In October 2022, he joined his son on stage for a rousing performance of “Revival.”

Dewayne is a cancer support campaigner

Zach Bryan’s dad Dewayne Bryan and sister MacKenzie Bryan Taylor.

Zach Bryan’s Instagram

For three years in a row, Dewayne walked across Oklahoma to raise awareness about cancer and special education.

Dewayne embarked on the first walk of 2021 to raise money for a special education teacher in Texas who was battling cancer. For his third walk in 2023, he spent three days walking over 60 miles from Claremore to Copan, raising money for two local nonprofits. Along the way, he read the names of 200 people who are currently undergoing treatment, in remission, or have died from cancer.

The cause is close to Dewayne’s heart — he named these trips the “Dad Walk” in honor of his father, who died of lung cancer. “I want people to know that things are available and that any of us can go out and do something,” he told Fox23 News.

Zach is happy to spread the word about his father’s endeavors every year.

“My old man is walking 67 miles to raise money for a cancer facility and a school for disabled youth over the next few days, so if you see a big bald guy walking across the country today, say hello and honk my horn,” wrote the “Heading South” artist “. on X in 2023

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education