About
The youngest of three children, Zach Ashton grew up in the 1980s near the coastal town of Clearwater, Florida. As a young boy he was introduced to an eclectic mix of music by his parents vinyl collection. Artists like Louis Armstrong, The Everly Brothers and even Jacques Brel would play an important roll in his musical upbringing. His hometown also placed an important influence in the subject matter of his songs. He was a child of the sea and was always impressed by the nature around him.
For his 18th birthday he received an acoustic guitar and began writing songs as best he could. Self –taught and without any understanding of his instrument, he would write songs late into the night, recording everything on a small tape machine.
After brief stints in punk bands as a guitarist and drummer, Ashton packed his things and moved to Alabama where he would spend 4 years studying advertising and communications. Upon graduation, he began to travel. He first went to Australia in search of waves, then Fiji, New Zealand and after falling in love, Brazil.
Upon his return to the United States, Ashton moved to California. He had an abundance of songs and would occasionally play open-mic shows at the famous Java Joe’s Café (Jason Mraz, Jewell) in Ocean Beach. It was at one of these shows that he decided to record his first record. “I was waiting for my set and I stepped outside to get some air. I was walking past a doorway and there was a guy playing upright bass. I started talking with him and he said they had just opened a recording studio. I showed up the following week and began recording.. I’ve been recording ever since.”
His first demo was entitled Under The Blanket of the Sky, which led the way to future recordings and shows. He has since released 4 studio albums; Mellow Dia (2004) Sweet Nothings (2005) Marley Renditions (2006) and Just Like beautiful (2009). The albums were released on various labels throughout the world and several songs were featured on television programs in Brazil, Italy as well as Japan. In 2009, Ashton was invited to play at the prestigious Concerto di Natale in Verona, Italy. There, he shared the stage with Grammy Winning legend Dionne Warwick as well as Terence Trent D’arby.
In 2011, Ashton returned to Brazil and began working on his latest album The Distance Between Us. With the help of longtime friend and engineer Alan Sanderson (Rolling Stones, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac) the two set out to produce an album that would capture the spirit of Brazilian music within western compositions. The result has been regarded as a "Timeless work of music which gives way to the delicate memories of one's life"
Zach Ashton currently lives between California and Brazil, though he calls the world his home.
